Plug door device

ABSTRACT

Provided is a small plug door device capable of performing an opening/closing operation and a plugging operation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force in a vehicle front-rear direction to act on a door, and further applicable also to a one-panel sliding door. A slide base  12  is installed slidably in a vehicle width direction relative to a fixed base  11 . A door drive mechanism  13  for moving one door  104  in a vehicle front-rear direction via a connecting portion  19  has a drive portion  13   a  including an electric motor  21 , a drive wheel member  13   b , a follower wheel member  13   c , and an endless member  13   d , and is installed on the slide base  12 . A guide portion  15  guides a shaft portion  14  provided on the connecting portion  19  so as to move the shaft portion  14  in a vehicle width direction. In a double-speed rail  16  in which a pinion  16   c  is disposed between two racks ( 16   a   , 16   b ), one rack  16   b  is connected to the slide base  12 , the other rack  16   a  is connected to the door  104  side, and the pinion  16   c  is connected to the connecting portion  19.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a plug door device to be installed atan entrance of a vehicle for performing an operation of opening andclosing a door and a plugging operation of moving a door in a vehiclewidth direction.

BACKGROUND ART

Conventionally, a plug door device to be installed at an entrance of avehicle for performing an operation of opening and closing a door and aplugging operation of moving a door in a vehicle width direction isknown (e.g., see Patent Literature 1). The plug door device disclosed inPatent Literature 1 is configured as a plug door device foropening/closing a pair of doors, which are two-panel sliding doors,installed at an entrance. This plug door device includes a fixed basefixed to the vehicle body, a slide base provided on the fixed basemovably in a vehicle width direction, and a door drive mechanismprovided as a door driver that is installed on the slide base and movesthe doors in front and rear directions of the vehicle via a connectingportion.

Also, the plug door device of Patent Literature 1 is further providedwith a shaft portion provided in the connecting portion, and a guideportion that is rotatably provided on the fixed base, pivots whilecoming into contact with the shaft portion and guides the shaft portionsuch that the shaft portion moves toward one side in the vehicle widthdirection when the doors open, and pivots while coming into contact withthe shaft portion and guides the shaft portion such that the shaftportion moves toward the other side in the vehicle width direction whenthe doors are closed. This plug door device is thereby configured as asmall plug door device capable of performing the opening/closingoperation and the plugging operation using the door drive mechanism forcausing a force in the front-rear direction of the vehicle to act on thedoors.

Also, the plug door device of Patent Literature 1 is configured suchthat the door drive mechanism for moving the doors in the vehiclefront-rear direction via the connecting portion includes arack-and-pinion mechanism for moving the connecting portion. Thisrack-and-pinion mechanism is configured such that a driving force of anelectric motor is input to a pinion via a planet gear mechanism, and apair of racks that mesh with the pinion move in opposite directions.

Also, the plug door device of Patent Literature 1 includes a lockingmechanism capable of locking the doors so as to restrict the movement ofthe doors at a door closed position. Further, Patent Literature 1recites that a locking mechanism disclosed in Patent Literature 2 can beused as the aforementioned locking mechanism.

Meanwhile, the locking mechanism disclosed in Patent Literature 2 isconfigured to be able to lock the movement of doors as a result of beingengaged with a locking pin provided on the door side when the doors areat the closed position. This locking mechanism is configured to includea link mechanism that can be deformed into a linear state and into abent state, and a link retaining mechanism that is pivotably installedin the vicinity of both ends of the link mechanism and retains the linkmechanism in a bent state when the doors are at a position other thanthe closed position. The link retaining mechanism is configured as apair of engaging members including a first engaging portion that isengaged with the locking pin at the closed position and a secondengaging portion that is engaged with an end of the link mechanism in alinear state at the same closed position. The locking mechanism isthereby configured to be able to lock the door movement.

Also, the plug door device of Patent Literature 1 is provided with anupper pivoting arm and a lower pivoting arm that pivot respectively onthe upper side and the lower side of the entrance and thereby guide thedoors in the vehicle width direction so as to assist the pluggingoperation of the doors. A roller is provided at the tip of each of theupper pivoting arm and the lower pivoting arm, and each roller isdisposed movably along a groove of a rail provided on the doors. Also, aconnecting rod is provided between the upper pivoting arm and the slidebase, one end of the connecting rod is provided pivotably relative tothe upper pivoting arm side, and the other side thereof is providedpivotably relative to the slide base.

Furthermore, the plug door device of Patent literature 1 is providedwith a connecting shaft that extends in up-down direction and issupported pivotably relative to a bracket provided at the entrance. Thisconnecting shaft is configured to connect the upper pivoting arm and thelower pivoting arm, the upper pivoting arm is fixed on the upper endside of the connecting shaft, and the lower pivoting arm is fixed on thelower end side of the connecting shaft. With the above configuration, inthe plug door device of Patent Literature 1, the upper pivoting armpivots via the connecting rod with the movement of the slide base, andfurther, the lower pivoting arm also pivots via the connecting shaftwith the pivoting of the upper pivoting arm. Thus, the plug door deviceof Patent Literature 1 is configured to prevent occurrence of a statewhere the movement of the door at its lower side does not sufficientlyfollow the movement of the door at its upper side where the shaftportion, the guide portion, and the slide base are disposed during theplugging operation, even if the rigidity of the doors is small.

CITATION LIST Patent Document

-   Patent Document 1: JP2010-95939A-   Patent Document 2: JP2008-121244A

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION Problem to be Solved by the Invention

As described above, the plug door device disclosed in Patent Literature1 is configured as a plug door device for opening/closing two-panelsliding doors that are configured as a pair. The door drive mechanism inthe plug door device is configured to move the doors in the vehiclefront-rear direction with the rack-and-pinion mechanism in which thepair of racks meshing with the pinion move in opposite directions. Forthis reason, in a case where the plug door device of Patent Literature 1is used as a plug door device for performing the opening/closingoperation and the plugging operation of a one-panel sliding door, theoperation range of the racks needs to be larger than or equal to a dooropening width even when, for example, only one of the upper or lowerrack is used, and therefore, the rack remarkably protrudes in thevehicle front-rear direction relative to the entrance where the door isinstalled. Accordingly, it is difficult to apply the plug door device ofPatent Literature 1 as is to a one-panel sliding door because theinstallation space is limited.

In light of the foregoing situation, a first object of the presentinvention is to provide a plug door device that can realize a small plugdoor device capable of performing the opening/closing operation and theplugging operation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force inthe vehicle front-rear direction to act on a door, and further is alsoapplicable to a one-panel sliding door.

Also, as a result of the locking mechanism disclosed in PatentLiterature 2 being installed in a plug door device, a door can be lockedso as to limit the door movement at a door closed position. However,with the locking mechanism of Patent Literature 2, a locking operationis performed as a result of a pair of engaging members pivotablyinstalled in the vicinity of both ends of the link mechanism beingengaged with the ends of the link mechanism in a linear state. For thisreason, when the door is in a closed state, an external force acts on aplugging mechanism for performing the plugging operation of moving adoor in the vehicle width direction, which may cause rattling of thedoor.

In light of the foregoing situation, a second object of the presentinvention is to provide a plug door device that can realize a small plugdoor device capable of performing the opening/closing operation and theplugging operation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force inthe vehicle front-rear direction to act on a door, and further iscapable of locking the door in a closed state without rattling.

Also, the plug door device of Patent Literature 1 is provided with theconnecting shaft that extends in the up-down direction and connects theupper pivoting arm to the lower pivoting arm, and the lower pivoting armthereby pivots with the upper pivoting arm. Therefore, as describedabove, it is ensured that the movement of the door at its lower sidefollows the door at its upper side where the mechanism for performingthe plugging operation is disposed, during the plugging operation.However, since the plug door device of Patent Literature 1 needs theconnecting shaft for connecting the upper pivoting arm to the lowerpivoting arm, installation space for the connecting shaft extending inthe up-down direction in the vicinity of the entrance is also necessary.

In light of the foregoing situation, a third object of the presentinvention is to provide a plug door device that can realize a small plugdoor device capable of performing the opening/closing operation and theplugging operation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force inthe vehicle front-rear direction to act on a door, and further iscapable of reducing installation space for a mechanism that has apivoting arm and guides the door in the vehicle width direction so as toassist the plugging operation of the door.

Means for Solving the Problem

A plug door device according to a first aspect of the invention forachieving the above-stated first object relates to a plug door device tobe installed at an entrance of a vehicle for performing an operation ofopening and closing a door and a plugging operation of moving the doorin a vehicle width direction. The plug door device according to thefirst aspect of the invention comprises: a fixed base that is fixed to abody of the vehicle; a slide base installed on the fixed base slidablyrelative to the fixed base in the vehicle width direction; a door drivemechanism that has a drive portion including an electric motor, a drivewheel member to which a driving force from the drive portion is input,at least one follower wheel member provided in association with thedrive wheel member, and an endless member that is looped around thedrive wheel member and the follower wheel member so as to circletherearound, and rotates the follower wheel member with a rotation ofthe drive wheel member, the door drive mechanism being installed on theslide base and moving one door in a vehicle front-rear direction via aconnecting portion; a shaft portion provided on the door or theconnecting portion; a guide portion that is rotatably installed on thefixed base, pivots while abutting the shaft portion and guides the shaftportion such that the shaft portion moves toward one side in the vehiclewidth direction when the door opens, and pivots while abutting the shaftportion and guides the shaft portion such that the shaft portion movestoward another side in the vehicle width direction when the door closes;and a double-speed rail that has two facing racks and a pinion disposedbetween the two racks, the two racks being installed so as to extend inthe vehicle front-rear direction, one of the two racks being connectedto the slide base and the other one thereof being connected to the door,and the pinion being connected to the connecting portion.

According to this aspect of the invention, the guide portion guides theshaft portion in the width direction of the vehicle (hereinafter alsoreferred to as the “vehicle width direction”) by pivoting while cominginto contact with the shaft portion. Accordingly, the operation of theguide portion is an operation of following movement of the door in thevehicle width direction. Thus, the space occupied by the guide portionin the vehicle width direction can be further reduced in accordance withthe state of the movement of the door in the vehicle width direction. Itis thereby possible to realize a small plug door device capable ofperforming the opening/closing operation and the plugging operationusing the door drive mechanism for causing a force in the vehiclefront-rear direction to act on the door. Also, since the door drivemechanism moves the door in the vehicle front-rear direction via adouble-speed rail configured by two racks and a pinion, the door can beefficiently moved by doubling operating stroke of the door drivemechanism. It is therefore possible to realize a plug door device thatis further small also in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Furthermore, according to this aspect of the invention, one door drivemechanism, which is installed on the slide base and moves one door inthe vehicle front-rear direction via the connecting portion and thedouble-speed rail, is configured to include a drive portion including anelectric motor, a drive wheel member to which a driving force from thedrive portion is input, a follower wheel member, and an endless memberfor rotating the follower wheel member with rotation of the drive wheelmember. For this reason, when the door drive mechanism operates, thedrive wheel member and the follower wheel member does not move. Withthis configuration, a part of the door drive mechanism does notremarkably protrude relative to the entrance where the door isinstalled, unlike a door drive mechanism including a rack-and-pinionmechanism in which a pair of racks that mesh with a pinion move inopposite directions, such as one disclosed in Patent Literature 1.Accordingly, occurrence of restriction on installation space issignificantly suppressed, and the present invention is easily appliedalso to a one-panel sliding door. Note that, for example, a pulley, asprocket, or the like may be used as the drive wheel member and thefollower wheel member, and for example, a belt, a chain, a wire, or thelike may be used as the endless member.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, it is possible toprovide a plug door device that can realize a small plug door devicecapable of performing the opening/closing operation and the pluggingoperation using the door drive mechanism for causing a force in thevehicle front-rear direction to act on the door, and further isapplicable also to a one-panel sliding door.

A plug door device according to a second aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the first aspect of the invention, furthercomprising a locking mechanism capable of locking the door so as torestrict a movement of the door at a closed position of the door,wherein the drive portion has the electric motor and a planet gearmechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear that meshes with the sungear and revolves around the sun gear while rotating, a carrier thatrotatably supports the planet gears and revolvably supports the planetgears, and a ring gear that meshes with the planet gear, a driving forcefrom the electric motor being input to the planet gear mechanism, andthe driving force from the electric motor is input to any one of the sungear, the carrier, and the ring gear, a driving force that is outputfrom any one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is input tothe drive wheel member, and a driving force that is output from theremaining one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is inputto the locking mechanism.

According to this aspect of the invention, the drive portion isconstituted by the electric motor and the planet gear mechanism. Thedriving force of the electric motor is input to one of the sun gear, thecarrier, and the ring gear in the planet gear mechanism, the drivingforce from another one thereof is output to the drive wheel member, andthe driving force from the remaining one thereof is output to thelocking mechanism. Therefore, one electric motor enables a dooropening/closing operation, the plugging operation, and a door lockingoperation by the locking mechanism to be performed, and a compact andefficient drive portion can be realized.

A plug door device according to a third aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the second aspect of the invention, wherein thelocking mechanism includes: a fixed lock portion provided so as to befixed on the fixed base; and a movable lock portion that is providedmovably with the driving force that is output from the planet gearmechanism to the locking mechanism, and comes into contact with thefixed lock portion on the inside in the vehicle width direction at theclosed position of the door, a movement of the door outward in thevehicle width direction is restricted when the door is in a closedstate.

According to this aspect of the invention, the movable lock portioncomes into contact with the fixed lock portion, which is fixed on thefixed base side, on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and as aresult, movement of the door in a closed state toward the outside in thevehicle width direction is restricted. For this reason, when the door isin a closed state, the door is more reliably constrained withoutrattling so as not to move toward the outside in the vehicle widthdirection. Accordingly, the door in a closed state can be locked withoutrattling.

A plug door device according to a fourth aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the third aspect of the invention, wherein themovable lock portion includes: a sliding contact portion capable ofcoming into contact with the fixed lock portion; a slide rail that isfixed to the slide base and restricts a sliding direction of the slidingcontact portion; and a transmission member that transmits a drivingforce that is output from the planet gear mechanism to the lockingmechanism to the sliding contact portion.

According to this aspect of the invention, a driving force from theplanet gear mechanism is transmitted to the sliding contact portion viathe transmission member, and thus, the sliding contact portion slides ina predetermined restricted direction on the slide rail and comes intocontact with the fixed lock portion. Thus, the sliding contact portionsmoothly moves on the slide rail with a driving force from the planetgear mechanism, and it is therefore possible to suppress the necessityfor configuring the planet gear mechanism to have high strength. It isthereby possible to configure a more compact planet gear mechanism.

A plug door device according to a fifth aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the fourth aspect of the invention, wherein thesliding contact portion includes: a slide block provided in the form ofa block, a sliding direction of the slide block being restricted by theslide rail; and a roller supported rotatably relative to the slide blockand capable of coming into contact with the fixed lock portion.

According to this aspect of the invention, the sliding contact portioncan move on the slide rail with the slide block, while coming intocontact with the fixed lock portion at the rotatable roller. For thisreason, hindrance of movement of the sliding contact portion on theslide rail by a frictional force produced between the sliding contactportion and the fixed lock portion is suppressed, and the slidingcontact portion can smoothly move on the slide rail.

A plug door device according to a sixth aspect of the invention is theplug door device of any one of the third to fifth aspects of theinvention, wherein the fixed lock portion is provided with: a first facethat is formed as a face orthogonal to the vehicle width direction andrestricts a movement of the door outward in the vehicle width directionby coming into contact with the movable lock portion when the door is ina closed state; and a second face that is formed as a face orthogonal tothe vehicle front-rear direction and capable of coming into contact withthe movable lock portion, and generates a reaction force balanced with adriving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism to thelocking mechanism such that the drive wheel member is driven to rotatewith a driving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism to thedrive wheel member.

According to this aspect of the invention, when the door is in a closedstate, the movable lock portion comes into contact with the first faceof the fixed lock portion, and the door is locked. On the other hand,when the door opens/closes, the movable lock portion comes into contactwith the second face of the fixed lock portion, and the forces acting onthe respective portions are in a balanced state, and the output from theplanet gear mechanism to the locking mechanism is fixed. Further, thedrive wheel member, the follower wheel member, and the endless memberoperate with a driving force that is input from the planet gearmechanism to the drive wheel member, and the door opening/closingoperation is performed. For this reason, a driving force from the planetgear mechanism to the drive wheel member and the locking mechanism isdistributed by the fixed lock portion having the first face and thesecond face that are orthogonal to each other. Accordingly, with asimple mechanism in which the first face and the second face areprovided in the fixed lock portion, a configuration in which the drivingforce is efficiently distributed to the drive wheel member and thelocking mechanism can be realized.

A plug door device according to a seventh aspect of the invention is theplug door device of any one of the third to sixth aspects of theinvention, wherein the drive portion and the drive wheel member aredisposed at a central part in the vehicle front-rear direction of theslide base, and a plurality of follower wheel members are provided andare disposed on both sides in the vehicle front-rear direction of thedrive wheel member.

According to this aspect of the invention, the drive portion foroutputting a driving force to the locking mechanism is disposed at thecentral part in the vehicle front-rear direction of the door, and thelocking operation by the locking mechanism is performed at the centralpart of the door. For this reason, the position where the door is lockedis prevented from being biased, and the door is locked at its centralpart in a well-balanced manner. Also, a plurality of follower wheelmembers are disposed on both sides in the vehicle front-rear directionwith respect to the drive wheel member disposed in the door centralpart, and therefore, the endless member that circles around the followerwheel members can be disposed over a longer circling distance in acompact area. It is therefore possible to efficiently ensure thecircling distance of the endless member.

A plug door device according to an eighth aspect of the invention forachieving the above-stated second object is a plug door device to beinstalled at an entrance of a vehicle for performing an operation ofopening and closing a door and a plugging operation of moving the doorin a vehicle width direction, comprising: a fixed base that is fixed toa body of the vehicle; a slide base installed on the fixed base slidablyrelative to the fixed base in the vehicle width direction; a door drivemechanism that is installed on the slide base and moves the door in avehicle front-rear direction via a connecting portion; a shaft portionprovided on the door or the connecting portion; a guide portion that isrotatably installed on the fixed base, pivots while abutting the shaftportion and guides the shaft portion such that the shaft portion movestoward one side in the vehicle width direction when the door opens, andpivots while abutting the shaft portion and guides the shaft portionsuch that the shaft portion moves toward another side in the vehiclewidth direction when the door closes; a double-speed rail that has twofacing racks and a pinion disposed between the two racks, the two racksbeing installed so as to extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, oneof the two racks being connected to the slide base and the other onethereof being connected to the door, and the pinion being connected tothe connecting portion; and a locking mechanism capable of locking thedoor so as to restrict a movement of the door at a closed position ofthe door. In the plug door device according to the eighth aspect of theinvention, the locking mechanism include: a fixed lock portion providedso as to be fixed on the fixed base; and a movable lock portion that isprovided movably with the driving force that is output from the doordrive mechanism to the locking mechanism, and comes into contact withthe fixed lock portion on the inside in the vehicle width direction atthe closed position of the door, a movement of the door outward in thevehicle width direction is restricted when the door is in a closedstate.

According to this aspect of the invention, the guide portion guides theshaft portion in the width direction of the vehicle (hereinafter alsoreferred to as the “vehicle width direction”) by pivoting while cominginto contact with the shaft portion. Accordingly, the operation of theguide portion is an operation of following movement of the door in thevehicle width direction. Thus, the space occupied by the guide portionin the vehicle width direction can be further reduced in accordance withthe state of the movement of the door in the vehicle width direction. Itis thereby possible to realize a small plug door device capable ofperforming the opening/closing operation and the plugging operationusing the door drive mechanism for causing a force in the vehiclefront-rear direction to act on the door. Also, since the door drivemechanism moves the door in the vehicle front-rear direction via adouble-speed rail configured by two racks and a pinion, the door can beefficiently moved by doubling operating stroke of the door drivemechanism. It is therefore possible to realize a plug door device thatis further small also in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Further, according to this aspect of the invention, the movable lockportion comes into contact with the fixed lock portion, which is fixedon the fixed base side, on the inside in the vehicle width direction,and as a result, movement of the door in a closed state toward theoutside in the vehicle width direction is restricted. For this reason,when the door is in a closed state, the door is more reliablyconstrained without rattling so as not to move toward the outside in thevehicle width direction. Accordingly, the door in a closed state can belocked without rattling.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, it is possible toprovide a plug door device that can realize a small plug door devicecapable of performing the opening/closing operation and the pluggingoperation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force in the vehiclefront-rear direction to act on a door, and further is capable of lockingthe door in a closed state without rattling.

A plug door device according to a ninth aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the eighth aspect of the invention, wherein themovable lock portion includes: a sliding contact portion capable ofcoming into contact with the fixed lock portion; a slide rail that isfixed to the slide base and restricts a sliding direction of the slidingcontact portion; and a transmission member that transmits a drivingforce that is output from the door drive mechanism to the lockingmechanism to the sliding contact portion.

According to this aspect of the invention, a driving force from the doordrive mechanism is transmitted to the sliding contact portion via thetransmission member, and thus, the sliding contact portion slides in apredetermined restricted direction on the slide rail and comes intocontact with the fixed lock portion. Thus, the sliding contact portionsmoothly moves on the slide rail with a driving force from the doordrive mechanism, and it is therefore possible to suppress the necessityfor configuring the door drive mechanism to have high strength. It isthereby possible to configure a more compact door drive mechanism.

A plug door device according to a tenth aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the ninth aspect of the invention, wherein thesliding contact portion includes: a slide block provided in the form ofa block, a sliding direction of the slide block being restricted by theslide rail; and a roller supported rotatably relative to the slide blockand capable of coming into contact with the fixed lock portion.

According to this aspect of the invention, the sliding contact portioncan move on the slide rail with the slide block, while coming intocontact with the fixed lock portion at the rotatable roller. For thisreason, hindrance of movement of the sliding contact portion on theslide rail by a frictional force produced between the sliding contactportion and the fixed lock portion is suppressed, and the slidingcontact portion can smoothly move on the slide rail.

A plug door device according to an eleventh aspect of the invention isthe plug door device of any one of the eighth to tenth aspects of theinvention, wherein the door drive mechanism has a drive portionincluding an electric motor, and a rack-and-pinion mechanism that movesthe connecting portion as a result of a driving force from the driveportion being input to the rack-and-pinion mechanism, the drive portionhas a planet gear mechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear thatmeshes with the sun gear and revolves around the sun gear whilerotating, a carrier that rotatably supports the planet gears andrevolvably supports the planet gears, and a ring gear that meshes withthe planet gear, a driving force from the electric motor being input tothe planet gear mechanism, and the driving force from the electric motoris input to any one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear, adriving force that is output from any one of the sun gear, the carrier,and the ring gear is input to the rack-and-pinion mechanism, and adriving force that is output from the remaining one of the sun gear, thecarrier, and the ring gear is input to the locking mechanism.

According to this aspect of the invention, the door drive mechanism isconstituted by the drive portion having the electric motor and therack-and-pinion mechanism that operates with a driving force from thedrive portion and thereby moves the door via the connecting portion. Forthis reason, two-panel sliding doors that are provided as a pair ofdoors installed at an entrance can be simultaneously driven to beopened/closed with the pair of drive racks that move in oppositedirections in the rack-and-pinion mechanism. Accordingly, one electricmotor enables the operation of opening/closing the sliding doors to beperformed. Also, according to this aspect of the invention, the driveportion is constituted by the electric motor and the planet gearmechanism. Further, the driving force of the electric motor is input toone of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear in the planet gearmechanism, the driving force from another one thereof is output to therack-and-pinion mechanism, and the driving force from the remaining onethereof is output to the locking mechanism. Therefore, one electricmotor enables the operation of opening/closing two-panel sliding doors,the plugging operation, and a door locking operation by the lockingmechanism to be performed, and a compact and efficient drive portion canbe realized.

A plug door device according to a twelfth aspect of the invention is theplug door device of the eighth to tenth aspects of the invention,wherein a door drive mechanism has a drive portion including an electricmotor, a drive wheel member to which a driving force from the driveportion is input, at least one follower wheel member provided inassociation with the drive wheel member, and an endless member that islooped around the drive wheel member and the follower wheel member so asto circle therearound, and rotates the follower wheel member with arotation of the drive wheel member, the door drive mechanism moving onedoor in the vehicle front-rear direction, the drive portion has a planetgear mechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear that meshes with thesun gear and revolves around the sun gear while rotating, a carrier thatrotatably supports the planet gears and revolvably supports the planetgears, and a ring gear that meshes with the planet gear, a driving forcefrom the electric motor being input to the planet gear mechanism, andthe driving force from the electric motor is input to any one of the sungear, the carrier, and the ring gear, a driving force that is outputfrom any one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is input tothe drive wheel member, and a driving force that is output from theremaining one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is inputto the locking mechanism.

According to this aspect of the invention, one door drive mechanism,which is installed on the slide base and moves one door in the vehiclefront-rear direction via the connecting portion and the double-speedrail, is configured to include a drive portion including an electricmotor, a drive wheel member to which a driving force from the driveportion is input, a follower wheel member, and an endless member forrotating the follower wheel member with rotation of the drive wheelmember. For this reason, when the door drive mechanism operates, thedrive wheel member and the follower wheel member does not move. Withthis configuration, a part of the door drive mechanism does notremarkably protrude relative to the entrance where the door isinstalled. Accordingly, occurrence of restriction on installation spaceis significantly suppressed, and the present invention is easily appliedalso to a one-panel sliding door. Note that, for example, a pulley, asprocket, or the like may be used as the drive wheel member and thefollower wheel member, and for example, a belt, a chain, a wire, or thelike may be used as the endless member.

Further, according to this aspect of the invention, the drive portion isconstituted by the electric motor and the planet gear mechanism. Thedriving force of the electric motor is input to one of the sun gear, thecarrier, and the ring gear in the planet gear mechanism, the drivingforce from another one thereof is output to the drive wheel member, andthe driving force from the remaining one thereof is output to thelocking mechanism. Therefore, one electric motor enables the dooropening/closing operation, the plugging operation, and a door lockingoperation by the locking mechanism to be performed, and a compact andefficient drive portion can be realized.

A plug door device according to a thirteenth aspect of the invention isthe plug door device of the twelfth aspect of the invention, wherein thefixed lock portion is provided with; a first face that is formed as aface orthogonal to the vehicle width direction and restricts a movementof the door outward in the vehicle width direction by coming intocontact with the movable lock portion when the door is in a closedstate; and a second face that is formed as a face orthogonal to thevehicle front-rear direction and capable of coming into contact with themovable lock portion, and generates a reaction force balanced with adriving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism to thelocking mechanism such that the drive wheel member is driven to rotatewith a driving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism to thedrive wheel member.

According to this aspect of the invention, when the door is in a closedstate, the movable lock portion comes into contact with the first faceof the fixed lock portion, and the door is locked. On the other hand,when the door opens/closes, the movable lock portion comes into contactwith the second face of the fixed lock portion, and the forces acting onthe respective portions are in a balanced state, and the output from theplanet gear mechanism to the locking mechanism is fixed. Further, thedrive wheel member, the follower wheel member, and the endless memberoperate with a driving force that is input from the planet gearmechanism to the drive wheel member, and the door opening/closingoperation is performed. For this reason, a driving force from the planetgear mechanism to the drive wheel member and the locking mechanism isdistributed by the fixed lock portion having the first face and thesecond face that are orthogonal to each other. Accordingly, with asimple mechanism in which the first face and the second face areprovided in the fixed lock portion, a configuration in which the drivingforce is efficiently distributed to the drive wheel member and thelocking mechanism can be realized.

A plug door device according to a fourteenth aspect of the invention forachieving the above-stated third object relates to a plug door device tobe installed at an entrance of a vehicle for performing an operation ofopening and closing a door and a plugging operation of moving the doorin a vehicle width direction. The plug door device according to thefourteenth aspect of the invention comprises: a fixed base that is fixedto a body of the vehicle; a slide base installed on the fixed baseslidably relative to the fixed base in the vehicle width direction; adoor drive mechanism that is installed on the slide base and moves thedoor in the vehicle front-rear direction via a connecting portion; ashaft portion provided on the door or the connecting portion; a guideportion that is rotatably installed on the fixed base, pivots whileabutting the shaft portion and guides the shaft portion such that theshaft portion moves toward one side in the vehicle width direction whenthe door opens, and pivots while abutting the shaft portion and guidesthe shaft portion such that the shaft portion moves toward another sidein the vehicle width direction when the door closes; and a pivoting armmechanism that has a pivoting arm that pivots with the operation ofopening and closing the door, based on a door opening/closing force,which is a force in a moving direction of the door that moves in anopening/closing direction, the pivoting arm mechanism guiding the doorin the vehicle width direction so as to assist the plugging operation ofthe door, wherein the pivoting arm mechanism include: a rotational forcegenerating portion that generates a rotational force by acquiring thedoor opening/closing force from the door; a follower rotational memberthat rotates as a result of the rotational force generated by therotational force generating portion being transmitted thereto; a guidingcurved face member that comes into contact with the follower rotationalmember or the rotational force generating portion and is provided with aguiding curved face portion that moves the follower rotational memberalong a curved face in an arc with a rotation of the follower rotationalmember; a door-side support portion that is provided closer to the doorthan the rotational force generating portion is, abuts a part of thedoor on a side opposite, in the vehicle width direction, to a side onwhich the rotational force generating portion is disposed, and supportsthe part of the door; the pivoting arm that is provided pivotablyrelative to the guiding curved face member and retains the rotationalforce generating portion and the follower rotational member; and arestricting member that is provided farther in an opening direction,which is a direction in which the door opens, than the pivoting arm is,and restricts a pivoting range of the pivoting arm by abutting thepivoting arm when the door opens.

According to this aspect of the invention, the guide portion guides theshaft portion in the width direction of the vehicle (hereinafter alsoreferred to as the “vehicle width direction”) by pivoting while cominginto contact with the shaft portion. Accordingly, the operation of theguide portion is an operation of following movement of the door in thevehicle width direction. Thus, the space occupied by the guide portionin the vehicle width direction can be further reduced in accordance withthe state of the movement of the door in the vehicle width direction. Itis thereby possible to realize a small plug door device capable ofperforming the opening/closing operation and the plugging operationusing the door drive mechanism for causing a force in the vehiclefront-rear direction to acts on the door.

Furthermore, according to this aspect of the invention, the pivoting armmechanism having the pivoting arm that pivots with a dooropening/closing operation based on a door opening/closing force isprovided. Further, in the pivoting arm mechanism, the followerrotational member rotates to which a rotational force generated due tothe door opening/closing force acquired from the door, this followerrotational member is guided along a curved guide portion, and therotating arm retaining the follower rotational member thereby pivots.For this reason, even if the shaft portion, the guide portion, and theslide base are installed on the upper side of the door, the pivoting armmechanism is installed on the lower side of the door, and the rigidityof the door is small, occurrence of a situation where movement of thedoor at its lower side does not sufficiently follow movement of the doorat its upper side during the plugging operation is prevented. In otherwords, even if the connecting shaft disclosed in Patent Literature 1 isnot provided, it is ensured that movement of the door at its lower sidefollows movement of the door at its upper side where the mechanism forperforming the plugging operation is disposed. Accordingly, it ispossible to reduce installation space for the mechanism that has thepivoting arm and guides the door in the vehicle width direction so as toassist the plugging operation of the door. Note that with the pivotingarm mechanism of the present invention, the door is supported on theside of the rotational force generating portion for acquiring a dooropening/closing force and generating a rotational force, as well as bythe door-side supporting portion disposed on the opposite side in thevehicle width direction via a part of the door. For this reason, a partof the door is supported so as to be sandwiched from both sides in thevehicle width direction, and a state where the rotational forcegenerating portion operates to follow the door is constantly ensured.Furthermore, with this pivoting arm mechanism, the pivoting range on thedoor opening direction side of the pivoting arm is restricted by therestricting member, and therefore, the pivoting arm is prevented fromexcessively pivoting after the plugging operation and hindering movementof the door when the door opens.

Accordingly, according to the present invention, it is possible toprovide a plug door device that can realize a small plug door devicecapable of performing the opening/closing operation and the pluggingoperation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force in the vehiclefront-rear direction to act on a door, and further is capable ofreducing installation space for a mechanism that has a pivoting arm andguides the door in the vehicle width direction so as to assist theplugging operation of the door.

A plug door device according to a fifteenth aspect of the invention isthe plug door device of the fourteenth aspect of the invention, whereinthe rotational force generating portion has a driving force acquiringportion for acquiring the door opening/closing force as a driving forcefrom the door, and a drive rotational member that rotates with thedriving force acquired by the driving force acquiring portion andgenerates a rotational force.

According to this aspect of the invention, in the rotational forcegenerating portion, a mechanism in which the mechanism for acquiring adoor opening/closing force as a driving force and the mechanism forgenerating a rotational force from the acquired driving force areconfigured as separate mechanisms. For this reason, it is possible toefficiently acquire a door opening/closing force and efficiently convertit into a rotational force, compared with a rotational force generatingportion configured to rotate with a frictional force while abutting thedoor.

A plug door device according to a sixteenth aspect of the invention isthe plug door device of the fifteenth aspect of the invention, whereinthe pivoting arm mechanism further has an arm biasing spring capable ofbiasing the pivoting arm so as to retain a position of the pivoting armat a position where the pivoting arm comes into contact with therestricting member, the driving force acquiring portion has a door-sidefixed rack that is fixed to the door and an external gear that isprovided on an outer circumference of the drive rotational member andmeshes with the door-side fixed rack, and the door-side fixed rack isprovided along a part of the door in the vehicle front-rear direction.

According to this aspect of the invention, the driving force acquiringportion capable of efficiently acquiring a door opening/closing forcecan be realized with a simple configuration using the door-side fixedrack that is fixed to the door and the external gear on the outercircumference of the drive rotational member. Note that since thedoor-side fixed rack is provided along a part of the door in the vehiclefront-rear direction, the external gear on the outer circumference ofthe drive rotational member is prevented from meshing with the door-sidefixed rack after a plugging operation and excessively operating tohinder door movement. Furthermore, since the arm biasing spring isprovided, the position of the pivoting arm is retained at the positionwhere it comes into contact with the restricting member even after themeshing between the door-side fixed rack provided along a part of thedoor in the vehicle front-rear direction and the external gear on theouter circumference of the drive rotational member is released when thedoor opens.

Effects of the Invention

According to one aspect of the present invention, it is possible toprovide a plug door device that can realize a small plug door devicecapable of performing the opening/closing operation and the pluggingoperation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force in the vehiclefront-rear direction to act on a door, and further is also applicable toa one-panel sliding door.

Also, according to another aspect of the present invention, it ispossible to provide a plug door device that can realize a small plugdoor device capable of performing the opening/closing operation and theplugging operation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force inthe vehicle front-rear direction to act on a door, and further iscapable of locking the door in a closed state without rattling.

Also, according to still another aspect of the present invention, it ispossible to provide a plug door device that can realize a small plugdoor device capable of performing the opening/closing operation and theplugging operation with a door drive mechanism for causing a force inthe vehicle front-rear direction to act on a door, and further iscapable of reducing installation space for a mechanism that has apivoting arm and guides the door in the vehicle width direction so as toassist the plugging operation of the door.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an overall plug door device accordingto a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a cross-section, as viewed from theposition indicated by arrows of line A-A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view serving as a front view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view serving as a plan view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged schematic view of the upper part of a door in FIG.2.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure ofthe center in a vehicle front-rear direction of a door drive mechanismin the plug door device shown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a plugging mechanism of the plug door deviceshown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 8 is a diagram including a partial cross-section of the pluggingmechanism shown in FIG. 7, as viewed from the position indicated byarrows of line D-D.

FIG. 9 is a side view of the plugging mechanism shown in FIG. 7, asviewed in the direction indicated by an arrow of line E.

FIG. 10 is a back view of the plugging mechanism shown in FIG. 7including a partial cross-section as viewed in the direction indicatedby an arrow of line F.

FIG. 11 is a plan view for illustrating an operation of the pluggingmechanism shown in FIG. 7.

FIG. 12 is an enlarged schematic view of the lower part of the door inFIG. 2.

FIG. 13 is a front view of a locking mechanism in the plug door deviceshown in FIG. 3.

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the locking mechanism shown in FIG. 13.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view serving as a plan view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 3, also indicating the position of a door that hasundergone an opening operation.

FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing an overall plug door deviceaccording to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing a cross-section, as viewed from theposition indicated by arrows of line J-J in FIG. 16.

FIG. 18 is a schematic view serving as a front view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 16.

FIG. 19 is a schematic view serving as a plan view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 20 is an enlarged diagram of a part of FIG. 18.

FIG. 21 is an enlarged schematic view of the upper part of a door inFIG. 17.

FIG. 22 is a front view showing a part of a locking mechanism in theplug door device shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 23 is a diagram schematically showing a part of the lockingmechanism shown in FIG. 18.

FIG. 24 is a diagram schematically showing a part of the lockingmechanism shown in FIG. 18 in an operational state different from thatin FIG. 23.

FIG. 25 is a diagram schematically showing a part of the lockingmechanism shown in FIG. 18 in an operational state different from thatin FIG. 23.

FIG. 26 is a plan view showing a part of the locking mechanism shown inFIG. 18.

FIG. 27 is a schematic view showing an overall plug door deviceaccording to a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 28 is a schematic view showing a cross-section, as viewed from theposition indicated by arrows of line J-J in FIG. 27.

FIG. 29 is a schematic view serving as a front view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 27.

FIG. 30 is a schematic view serving as a plan view of the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 31 is an enlarged diagram of a part of FIG. 29.

FIG. 32 is an enlarged schematic view of the upper part of a door inFIG. 28.

FIG. 33 is a plan view of a plugging mechanism in the plug door deviceshown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 34 is a diagram including a partial cross-section of the pluggingmechanism shown in FIG. 33, as viewed from the position indicated by anarrow of line D-D.

FIG. 35 is a side view of the plugging mechanism shown in FIG. 33, asviewed in the direction indicated by an arrow of line E.

FIG. 36 is a back view of the plugging mechanism shown in FIG. 33including a partial cross-section as viewed in the direction indicatedby an arrow of line F.

FIG. 37 is a plan view for illustrating an operation of the pluggingmechanism shown in FIG. 33.

FIG. 38 is an enlarged schematic view of the lower part of a door inFIG. 28.

FIG. 39 is a plan view of a pivoting arm mechanism in the plug doordevice shown in FIG. 28.

FIG. 40 is a front view including a partial cross-section of thepivoting arm mechanism shown in FIG. 39 as viewed from the positionindicated by arrows of line M-M.

FIG. 41 is a side view of the pivoting arm mechanism shown in FIG. 39.

FIG. 42 is a front view showing a part of a locking mechanism in theplug door device shown in FIG. 29.

FIG. 43 is a plan view showing a pivoting arm mechanism according to amodification.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Hereinafter, modes for carrying out the present invention will bedescribed with reference to the drawings. The present invention isapplicable to a plug door device to be installed at an entrance of avehicle for performing a door opening/closing operation and a pluggingoperation of moving a door in a vehicle width direction.

First Embodiment

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an overall plug door device 1according to a first embodiment of the present invention. The plug doordevice 1 shown in FIG. 1 is also applicable to a one-panel sliding doorconstituted by one door. Note that FIG. 1 is a schematic view as viewedfrom the inside of a vehicle, and shows a state where the plug doordevice 1 is installed together with a door 104 at an entrance 102 of thevehicle. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a cross-section, as viewedfrom the position indicated by arrows of line A-A in FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is aschematic view serving as a front view of the plug door device 1 andenlarges the upper part of the door 104 in FIG. 1. Note that FIG. 1indicates a state where the plug door device 1 is housed in the vehicleat the upper part of the entrance 102 with broken lines, and FIG. 3omits constituents on the vehicle side. FIG. 4 is a schematic viewserving as a plan view of the plug door device 1 shown in FIG. 3,showing the plug door device 1 together with the door 104. FIG. 5 is aschematic view serving as a side view of the plug door device 1 andenlarges the upper part of the door 104 in FIG. 2.

Regarding Overall Configuration

As shown in FIG. 1, a vehicle side wall 101 is provided with theentrance 102. Note that FIG. 1 shows a state where the door 104 is in aclosed state, and indicates the entrance 102 with broken lines. A frame103 is fixed above the entrance 102 so as to extend in a vehiclefront-rear direction. Here, the “vehicle front-rear direction” is adirection parallel to a vehicle travelling direction, and is thedirection indicated by double arrow B in FIG. 1. Note that the vehicleside wall 101 and the frame 103 constitute a part of the vehicle body.

Also, one door 104 is installed so as to cover the entrance 102. Onedoor 104 is a one-panel sliding door, and is opened/closed by the plugdoor device 1. As shown in FIG. 2 in detail, the door 104 is formed soas to gradually curve and bulge at its lower side, outward in a widthdirection of the vehicle. Here, the “width direction of the vehicle”(hereinafter referred to also as the “vehicle width direction”) is adirection perpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction and up-downdirection, and is a direction indicated by double arrow C in FIG. 2.Note that the door 104 is configured to substantially seal the entrance102 at a closed position (position shown in FIGS. 1 and 2), which is theposition where the door 104 is in a closed state.

The plug door device 1 shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 is installed at theentrance 102 of the vehicle, and is provided as a device for performingan operation of opening/closing the door 104 and a plugging operation ofmoving the door 104 in the vehicle width direction. This plug doordevice 1 is configured to include a fixed base 11, a slide base 12, adoor drive mechanism 13 for driving one door 104 so as to move the door104 in the vehicle front-and-rear direction, a shaft portion 14 that isdriven by the door drive mechanism 13 in the vehicle front-reardirection, a guide portion 15 for guiding the shaft portion 14, adouble-speed rail 16, a locking mechanism 17, a pivoting arm 18, and thelike. Note that FIG. 4 omits the fixed base 11.

The fixed base 11 is fixed to a plate-like member 103 a, which is a partof the frame 103 that constitutes the vehicle body (see FIG. 5). Thefixed base 11 is thereby fixed so as not to move relatively to thevehicle body. Also, the fixed base 11 is provided with a flat plate-likeportion 11 a that is horizontally installed, and a pair of slide supportportions (11 b, 11 b) that are provided on both sides in the vehiclefront-rear direction of the plate-like portion 11 a. The slide supportportions 11 b are provided as block-like members installed so as toextend in the vehicle width direction. A rail member 11 c for supportingthe slide base 12 slidably in the vehicle width direction is fixed toeach slide support portion 11 b. Note that the present embodimentdescribes an exemplary mode in which the plate-like portion 11 a isconfigured as two plate-like members fixed to the vehicle body.

The slide base 12 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is installed on the underside ofthe fixed base 11, slidably in the vehicle width direction relative tothe fixed base 11. The slide base 12 is provided with a main body 12 ainstalled so as to horizontally extend in a flat manner, a bracketportion 12 b, and wheel portions 12 c.

The bracket portion 12 b is provided as a portion that extends so as tobend downward relative to the main body 12 a at an end on the outside(door 104 side) in the vehicle width direction of the main body 12 a,and thereafter, horizontally bend toward the outside in the vehiclewidth direction. The double-speed rail 16, which will be describedlater, is installed on this bracket portion 12 b. The wheel portions 12c are installed on both sides in the vehicle front-rear direction of themain body 12 a, and are each configured to include a wheel that rolls onthe rail member 11 c extending in the vehicle width direction. The slidebase 12 is thereby configured to be slidable in the vehicle widthdirection relative to the fixed base 11.

Regarding Door Drive Mechanism and Double-Speed Rail

The door drive mechanism 13 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is installed on themain body 12 a of the slide base 12 and is provided as a mechanism formoving one door 104 in the vehicle front-rear direction via theconnecting portion 19. Note that in the present embodiment, the doordrive mechanism 13 is installed at the lower side of the main body 12 a.The door drive mechanism 13 is configured to include a drive portion 13a including a direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 (see FIG. 6,which will be described later), a drive pulley 13 b, a plurality offollower pulleys 13 c, a drive belt 13 d, a plurality of idler pulleys13 e, and the like.

The drive pulley 13 b is provided as a pulley to which a driving forcefrom the drive portion 13 a is input. The follower pulleys 13 c areprovided in association with the drive pulley 13 b, and the number ofthe follower pulleys 13 c is two in the present embodiment. The drivepulley 13 b constitutes a drive wheel member in the present embodiment,the follower pulleys 13 c constitute a follower wheel member in thepresent embodiment, and the drive belt 13 d constitutes an endlessmember in the present embodiment. The drive belt 13 d is a toothed belt,and is provided as a looped belt member that is looped around the outercircumference of the drive pulley 13 b and the follower pulleys (13 c,13 c) so as to circle therearound, and that rotates the follower pulleys(13 c, 13 c) with rotation of the drive pulley 13 b. The connectingportion 19 is attached to the drive belt 13 d.

The number of idler pulleys 13 e is two in the present embodiment, andeach idler pulley 13 e is disposed at a position where it is pressedagainst the drive belt 13 d from the outside of the drive belt 13 dtoward the inside, between the drive pulley 13 b and a correspondingfollower pulley 13 c. The drive belt 13 d is thereby configured to belooped so as to form a predetermined angle with respect to the outercircumference of each idler pulley 13 e, and to generate predeterminedtension on the drive belt 13 d.

Note that the drive portion 13 a and the drive pulley 13 b are disposedat the central part in the vehicle front-rear direction of the slidebase 12. The follower pulleys (13 c, 13 c) are disposed respectively onboth sides in the vehicle front-rear direction of the drive pulley 13 b.

FIG. 6 is a diagram schematically showing a cross-sectional structure atthe center in the vehicle front-rear direction of the door drivemechanism 13, and shows a cross-sectional structure of a faceperpendicular to the vehicle front-rear direction. FIG. 6 omits some ofthe constituent elements and shows the remaining constituent elements ina simplified manner, and also omits hatching for indicating across-sectional state, from a viewpoint of clearly illustrating theshown constituent elements. Note that FIG. 6 also shows an outer shapeof the locking mechanism 17, which will be described later.

As shown in FIG. 6, the drive portion 13 a is configured to include thebrushless electric motor 21 that is provided as a driving source andconstitutes an electric motor in the present embodiment, as well as aplanet gear mechanism 20 to which a driving force from the brushlesselectric motor 21 is input. The planet gear mechanism 20 is configuredto include a sun gear 20 a, a plurality of planet gears 20 b, a carrier20 c, a ring gear 20 d, and the like.

A driving force from the brushless electric motor 21 is input to the sungear 20 a. The planet gears 20 b are disposed around the sun gear 20 a,and are provided so as to mesh with the sun gear 20 a and revolve aroundthe sun gear 20 a while rotating. The carrier 20 c is provided as aframe member for rotatably supporting each planet gear 20 b and alsorevolvably supporting each planet gear 20 b. The ring gear 20 d isprovided as a ring-like gear having an inner-circumferential internalgear that meshes with the planet gears 20 b.

Note that in the ring gear 20 d, its ring-like portion having theinternal gear formed so as to mesh with the planet gears 20 b is formedintegrally with the drive pulley 13 b inside the cylindrically-shapeddrive pulley 13 b. Thus, a reduction in the number of parts is achieved.Also, in the door drive mechanism 13, the sun gear 20 a, the planetgears 20 b, and the ring gear 20 d in the planet gear mechanism 20 aredisposed inside the drive pulley 13 b, thereby achieving a sizereduction. For this reason, a further reduction in the size of the plugdoor device 1 is achieved.

Also, a part of the outer-circumferential portion of the carrier 20 c isconnected to a lock output portion 22. The lock output portion 22 isprovided as a mechanism for inputting a driving force that is outputfrom the carrier 20 c to the locking mechanism 17, which will bedescribed later, as a result of the carrier 20 c swinging around theaxis of the sun gear 20 a. The lock output portion 22 is configured toconvert the direction in which a driving force output as a result of theswinging of the carrier 20 c acts, and output the converted drivingforce as a driving force in a linear direction parallel to the vehiclefront-rear direction. Also, an output roller 22 a is provided at a tipportion of the lock output portion 22 from which the driving force isoutput. The driving force of the carrier 20 c is input to the lockingmechanism 17, which will be described later, via the output roller 22 a.

Note that although the present embodiment described an exemplary mode inwhich the driving force from the direct-drive brushless electric motor21 is input to the sun gear 20 a, the driving force output from the ringgear 20 d is input to the drive pulley 13 b, and the driving forceoutput from the carrier 20 c is input to the locking mechanism 17, thisneed not be the case. The configuration need only be such that thedriving force from the brushless electric motor 21 is input to one ofthe sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ring gear 20 d, the drivingforce output from one of the sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and thering gear 20 d is input to the drive pulley 20 b, and the driving forceoutput from the remaining one of the sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c,and the ring gear 20 d is input to the locking mechanism 17.

The connecting portion 19 that is attached to the drive belt 13 d andtransmits a driving force from the door drive mechanism 13 isconstituted by a plate-like member that is formed in a bent manner. Anend of the connecting portion 19 is fixed relative to the drive belt 13d at a position between the two follower pulleys (13 c, 13 c) on theside where the drive belt 13 d is looped around the follower pulleys (13c, 13 c) opposite the drive pulley 13 b.

Also, the connecting portion 19 is configured to extend downward from aportion fixed to the drive belt 13 d, then bend and horizontally extendtoward the door 104 side, and again bend and extend upward. Further, theconnecting portion 19 is fixed, at an end of the upward-extendingportion, to a support rail 16 d of the double-speed rail 16, which willbe described later.

Also, the connecting portion 19 is provided with a protruding endportion 19 a that partially bends from the end of the upward-extendingportion and horizontally protrudes and extends. The protruding endportion 19 a is provided with the shaft portion 14 that protrudes in acantilevered manner so as to extend upward. Note that the shaft portion14 is provided with a shaft portion roller 14 a that is rotatablyattached to a shaft body of the shaft portion 14 fixed to the protrudingend portion 19 a.

The double-speed rail 16 shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 is provided so as toextend in the vehicle front-rear direction. The double-speed rail 16 isconfigured to include two facing racks (16 a, 16 b), a pinion 16 c, andthe support rail 16 d. The two facing racks (16 a, 16 b) include anupper rack 16 a disposed at the upper side and a lower rack 16 bdisposed at the lower side. The upper rack 16 a and the lower rack 16 bare disposed so as to extend parallel to each other in the vehiclefront-rear direction.

The pinion 16 c is disposed between the two racks (16 a, 16 b), and isdisposed so as to mesh with teeth provided on the racks (16 a, 16 b).This pinion 16 c is rotatably supported by the support rail 16 d. Thepinion 16 c is thereby connected to the connecting portion 19 side. Thatis to say, the pinion 16 c is connected to the connecting portion 19 viathe support rail 16 d. For this reason, the connecting portion 19 fixedto the drive belt 13 d, the support rail 16 d, and the pinion 16 c areconnected to one another such that the relative positions thereof do notchange.

Also, the support rail 16 d for rotatably supporting the pinion 16 c isconfigured to support the upper rack 16 a and the lower rack 16 b in astate of sandwiching them from both sides in the vehicle widthdirection. Note that the support rail 16 d supports the upper rack 16 aand the lower rack 16 b slidably in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Also, in the double-speed rail 16, the lower rack 16 b, which is one ofthe two racks (16 a, 16 b), is fixed and connected to the bracketportion 12 b of the slide base 12, and the other rack, namely the upperrack 16 a is connected to the door 104 side. Note that the upper rack 16a is connected to the door 104 via a door support member 104 a. The doorsupport member 104 a supports the door 104 in a suspending manner.

Due to the above-described configuration of the double-speed rail 16,upon the drive pulley 13 b in the door drive mechanism 13 being driven,the support rail 16 d and the pinion 16 c move in the vehicle front-reardirection together with the connecting portion 19 fixed to the drivebelt 13 d. The pinion 16 c thereby moves toward one side in the vehiclefront-rear direction while meshing with the lower rack 16 b fixed to theslide base 12. Then, relative to this moving pinion 16 c, the upper rack16 a that meshes with the pinion 16 c moves toward the same side in thevehicle front-rear direction. For this reason, the upper rack 16 a movesrelative to the lower rack 16 b at a speed that is double the movingspeed of the pinion 16 c. The amount of movement of the upper rack 16 arelative to the lower rack 16 b is double the amount of movement of thepinion 16 c relative to the lower rack 16 b, and the direction of themovement is the same. The door 104 connected to the upper rack 16 a viathe door support member 104 a will also move at the same speed as thatof the upper rack 16 a. Then, the door 104 moves in the vehiclefront-rear direction relative to the slide base 12 to which the lowerrack 16 b is connected.

Regarding Plugging Mechanism

In the plug door device 1, a plugging mechanism for performing aplugging operation of moving the door 104 in the vehicle width directionis configured to include the shaft portion 14, the guide portion 15, anda roller guide 23. FIG. 7 is a plan view showing the plugging mechanism.FIG. 8 is a diagram including a partial cross-section of the pluggingmechanism, as viewed from the position indicted by arrows of line D-D inFIG. 7. FIG. 9 is a side view of the plugging mechanism, as viewed inthe direction indicated by an arrow of line E in FIG. 7. FIG. 10 is aback view of the plugging mechanism including a partial cross-section asviewed in the direction indicated by an arrow of line F in FIG. 7. FIG.11 is a plan view for illustrating an operation of the pluggingmechanism. Note that FIGS. 8 to 10 show enlarged parts, with respect toFIGS. 7 to 11. FIGS. 8 to 10 show a state of the plugging mechanism whenthe door 104 is at the closed position. On the other hand, FIG. 11 showsa state immediately after the plugging operation is finished when thedoor 104 opens from the closed position.

The plugging mechanism shown in FIGS. 3 to 5 and FIGS. 7 to 10 (shaftportion 14, guide portion 15, roller guide 23) is disposed between thefixed base 11 and the slide base 12. The shaft portion 14 is provided atthe protruding end portion 19 a of the connecting portion 19, asmentioned above. The roller guide 23 is fixed at the side of the lowerface of the plate-like portion 11 a of the fixed base 11. The guideportion 15 is configured to include a first link 24 and a second link25, and is installed on the lower side of the fixed base 11. The guideportion 15 is rotatably installed, at the first link 24 thereof, on thefixed base 11.

The first link 24 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member, andone end side thereof is provided pivotably relative to the fixed base11. Specifically, the first link 24 is provided pivotably around a firstpivoting shaft 26 that is disposed in a substantially verticaldirection. Also, a first dent portion 24 a capable of housing the shaftportion roller 14 a of the shaft portion 14 is formed in the peripheryon the other end side of the first link 24.

The second link 25 is a plate-like member and is pivotably provided onthe first link 24. Specifically, the second link 25 is providedpivotably around a second pivoting shaft 27 that is provided in thevicinity of the first dent portion 24 a of the first link 24 and isdisposed in a substantially vertical direction. Also, a second dentportion 25 a capable of housing the shaft portion roller 14 a of theshaft portion 14 is formed in the periphery of the second link 25. Also,the second link 25 is provided with a guide portion roller 28 that isattached rotatably around a vertical axis. The guide portion roller 28is attached rotatably relative to a rotary shaft 29 that protrudesupward from the second link 25, and is disposed at substantially thesame height as that of the roller guide 23 fixed to the fixed base 11.

When the door 104 is at the closed position, as shown in FIG. 7, theperiphery of the shaft portion 14 is surrounded by the first dentportion 24 a of the first link 24 and the second dent portion 25 a ofthe second link 25, as viewed from above. Specifically, the first link24 is retained such that the opening side of the first dent portion 24 afaces outward in the vehicle width direction, and the second link 25 isretained such that the opening side of the second dent portion 25 afaces toward the direction opposite to the direction toward the firstpivoting shaft 26. Thus, the outward movement of the shaft portion 14 atthe first link 24 from the inside of the first dent portion 24 a isconstrained by the second link 25.

Also, when the door 104 is at the closed position, the guide portionroller 28 of the second link 25 is located outward in the vehicle widthdirection of the second dent portion 25 a. The second pivoting shaft 27of the second link 25 is located inward in the vehicle width directionof the second dent portion 25 a.

Also, a helical spring 30 serving as a biasing means is provided betweenthe first link 24 and the second link 25. One end of the helical spring30 is provided substantially halfway between the second pivoting shaft27 of the second link 25 and the guide portion roller 28, and the otherend is provided at a position near the first pivoting shaft 26 in thefirst link 24. Thus, the second link 25 is biased by the helical spring30 so as to pivot in the direction in which the constraint on the shaftportion 14 is released (i.e., in the clockwise direction around thesecond pivoting shaft 27, as viewed from above). That is to say, thesecond link 25 is biased by the helical spring 30 in the direction inwhich the guide portion roller 28 approaches the roller guide 23.

The roller guide 23 is provided as a plate-like member. The roller guide23 has, on its side faces, an angled face 23 a for guiding the guideportion roller 28, and a curved face 23 b for guiding the guide portionroller 28 continuously from the angled face 23 a.

The angled face 23 a is provided as a part of the side face of theroller guide 23, and is configured as a flat face formed so as to extendmore outward in the vehicle width direction toward the direction inwhich the door 104 opens (hereinafter referred to as an “openingdirection”; denoted by arrow G1 in FIG. 7).

The curved face 23 b is provided as a part of the side face of theroller guide 23, and is configured as a curved face that continues fromthe angled face 23 a, curves so as to protrude in a substantiallysemicircular shape, then further curves so as to be dent in asubstantially semicircular shape, and then extends toward the inside inthe vehicle width direction. Note that the curved face 23 b protrudes inthe opening direction at a position close to the outside in the vehiclewidth direction, and is recessed toward the direction in which the door104 closes (i.e., the direction opposite to the opening direction,hereinafter referred to as a “closing direction”; denoted by arrow G2 inFIG. 7) at a position close to the inside in the vehicle widthdirection.

Regarding Pivoting Arm

FIG. 12 is an enlarged schematic view of the lower part of the door 104in FIG. 2. As shown in FIGS. 1 to 5 and 12, the pivoting arms 18 (18 a,18 b) that pivot and thereby guide the door 104 in the vehicle widthdirection are provided in the upper and lower parts of the entrance 102.Note that an upper pivoting arm 18 a is provided in the upper part ofthe entrance 102, and a lower pivoting arm 18 b is provided in the lowerpart of the entrance 102.

The upper pivoting arm 18 a is fixed to the upper end side of theconnecting shaft 31 extending in a substantially vertical direction, andis installed so as to horizontally protrude in a cantilevered mannerfrom the connecting shaft 31. Also, the connecting shaft 31 is pivotablyattached, at its upper and lower ends, to brackets that extend from theedges of the entrance 102 on the vehicle side wall 101. Also, the tip ofthe upper pivoting arm 18 a is provided with an upper roller 32 that isprovided rotatably around a rotary shaft extending upward in asubstantially vertical direction. Also, the main body 12 a of the slidebase 12 is provided with an elongated hole 33 that extends in thevehicle front-rear direction (see FIG. 4). The upper roller 32 isinserted in the elongated hole 33 from below and is disposed in arelatively movable manner along the elongated hole 33.

The lower pivoting arm 18 b is fixed to the lower side of the connectingshaft 31 and is installed so as to horizontally protrude in acantilevered manner from the connecting shaft 31. For this reason, thelower pivoting arm 18 b is configured to pivot together with theconnecting shaft 31 as a result of the pivoting of the upper pivotingarm 18 a. Also, the tip of the lower pivoting arm 18 b is provided witha lower roller 34 that is provided rotatably around a rotary shaftextending upward in a substantially vertical direction. A door rail 35that extends in the vehicle front-rear direction is provided on thelower end side, on the inside in the vehicle width direction of the door104. This door rail 35 has a groove formed so as to open downward andextend in the vehicle front-rear direction. The lower roller 34 isinserted in the groove of the door rail 35 from below and is configuredin a relatively movable manner along the door rail 35 (see FIG. 12).

Regarding Locking Mechanism

FIG. 13 is a front view of the locking mechanism 17. FIG. 14 is a planview of the locking mechanism 17. The locking mechanism 17 shown inFIGS. 3 to 6, 13, and 14 is provided as a mechanism capable of lockingthe door 104 at the closed position of the door 104 so as to restrictmovement of the door 104. The locking mechanism 17 is configured toinclude a fixed lock portion 36 and a movable lock portion 37.

The fixed lock portion 36 is configured as a block-like member providedso as to be fixed to the fixed base 11. Note that FIGS. 4, 6, 13, and 14omit the fixed base 11. Although the fixed lock portion 36 is providedas a block-like member in the present embodiment, this need not be thecase. It may alternatively be provided as a plate-like member, apin-like member, or the like that is fixed to the fixed base 11.

The movable lock portion 37 is provided so as to be movable with adriving force that is output from the carrier 20 c in the planet gearmechanism 20 to the locking mechanism 17. The movable lock portion 37 isconfigured to come into contact with the fixed lock portion 36 on theinside in the vehicle width direction at the closed position of the door104. Thus, the locking mechanism 17 is provided so as to restrictmovement of the door 104 outward in the vehicle width direction when thedoor 104 is in a closed state, as a result of the movable lock portion37 coming into contact with the fixed lock portion 36.

Also, the movable lock portion 37 is configured to include a slidingcontact portion 38 capable of coming into contact with the fixed lockportion 36, a slide rail 39, and a transmission member 40. The sliderail 39 is provided as a rail member that is fixed to the slide base 12and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. Thus, the slide rail 39is configured to restrict the direction of sliding movement of thesliding contact portion 38 to a direction parallel to the vehiclefront-rear direction.

The transmission member 40 is provided as a plate-like member and isdisposed so as to extend in the up-down direction. The transmissionmember 40 is provided as a member for transmitting a driving force thatis output from the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 to thelocking mechanism 17, to the sliding contact portion 38. Note that inthe present embodiment, the transmission member 40 is provided with adent portion 40 a at its lower side, and is disposed in a state wherethe output roller 22 a of the lock output portion 22 is fitted to thedent portion 40 a. Also, the upper end side of the transmission member40 is connected to the sliding contact portion 38.

As a result thereof, the locking mechanism 17 is configured such that adriving force output from the carrier 20 c via the lock output portion22 is input to the transmission member 40. Further, the transmissionmember 40 moves in the vehicle front-rear direction with movement of theoutput roller 22 a with a driving force from the planet gear mechanism20. Furthermore, with the movement of the transmission member 40, thesliding contact portion 38 whose sliding movement direction isrestricted by the slide rail 39 moves in the vehicle front-reardirection.

Note that the tip of the output roller 22 a is disposed inside anelongated hole 43 a formed in a guide plate 43. The output roller 22 ais disposed movably along the elongated hole 43 a (see FIG. 13). Thus,movement of the output roller 22 a in the vehicle front-rear directionis configured to be ensured. Note that the guide plate 43 is provided asa plate-like member that is fixed to a housing or the like of the driveportion 13 a installed on the slide base 12.

Also, the sliding contact portion 38 is configured to include a slideblock 41 and a roller 42. The slide block 41 is provided in a blockshape, and is provided as a member whose sliding movement direction isrestricted to the vehicle front-rear direction by the slide rail 39.Note that in the present embodiment, the slide block 41 is configured bya plurality of members being fixed so as to be integrated. The upper endside of the transmission member 40 is fixed to one of the integratedmembers, and a groove is formed in another one of the integrated memberssuch that the sliding contact portion 38 is fitted to the rail face ofthe slide rail 39 so as to be movable thereon in a sliding manner.

The roller 42 is supported rotatably around a vertical axis relative tothe slide block 41. The outer-circumferential side face of the roller 42is disposed so as to be able to come into contact with the side face ofthe fixed lock portion 36.

Also, as shown in FIGS. 6, 13, and 14 in detail, the fixed lock portion36 is provided as a member having a shape with two perpendicularblock-like portions that are integrated. A first face 36 a, a secondface 36 b, and an angled face 36 c, with which the roller 42 can comeinto contact, are provided on the side face of the fixed lock portion36.

The first face 36 a is provided as a side face of the fixed lock portion36 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. The first face 36 ais formed as a face orthogonal to the vehicle width direction, and isconfigured to come into contact with the outer circumference of theroller 42 in the sliding contact portion 38 of the movable lock portion37 when the door 104 is in a closed state, and thereby restrict movementof the door 104 to the outside in the vehicle width direction.

The second face 36 b is provided as a side face of the fixed lockportion 36 that faces toward the opening direction side in the vehiclefront-rear direction. The second face 36 b is formed as a face that isorthogonal to the vehicle front-rear direction and capable of cominginto contact with the outer circumference of the roller 42 in themovable lock portion 37. Thus, the second face 36 b is configured togenerate a reaction force balanced with a driving force that is inputfrom the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 to the lockingmechanism 17 such that the drive pulley 13 b is driven to rotate with adriving force that is input from the ring gear 20 d in the planet gearmechanism 20 to the drive pulley 13 b.

The angled face 36 c is provided as a side face of the fixed lockportion 36 between the first face 36 a and the second face 36 b, andcontinues to the first face 36 a and the second face 36 b. This angledface 36 c is formed as a face perpendicular to the horizontal direction,and is provided as a face that is angled relative to both the first face36 a and the second face 36 b. The roller 42 is disposed so as to beable to come into contact with the fixed lock portion 36 on the firstface 36 a and the second face 36 b, and is configured, due to provisionof the angled face 36 c, to smoothly move between the first face 36 aand the second face 36 b that are orthogonal to each other.

Regarding Operation of Plug Door Device

Next, the operation of the plug door device 1 will be described. Asshown in FIGS. 1 to 5, when the door 104 is at the closed position, theshaft portion 14 is engaged with both the first dent portion 24 a of thefirst link 24 and the second dent portion 25 a of the second link 25, asviewed from above (see FIG. 7). That is to say, the shaft portion 14 islocated within the dent portions (24 a, 25 a).

Also, in the locking mechanism 17, the roller 42 is in contact with thefirst face 36 a of the fixed lock portion 36 when the door 104 is in aclosed state, as shown in FIGS. 6, 13, and 14. For this reason, movementof the slide base 12 outward in the vehicle width direction isrestricted via the locking mechanism 17 and the carrier 20 c of theplanet gear mechanism 20. This state restricts the plugging operationtoward the outside in the vehicle width direction by the pluggingmechanism, and the door 104 is locked such that its movement isrestricted.

As a result of the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 in the doordrive mechanism 13 being driven in the above-described state at theclosed position, the sun gear 20 a in the planet gear mechanism 20starts to rotate, and the planet gears 20 b around the sun gear 20 astart to revolve around the sun gear 20 a while meshing with the ringgear 20 d. Then, the carrier 20 c swings with the revolution of theplanet gears 20 b, and the output roller 22 a thereby moves within theelongated hole 43 a in the direction indicated by two-dot chain linearrow I in FIG. 13. Thus, the transmission member 40 moves together withthe output roller 22 a parallel to the opening direction in the vehiclefront-rear direction, and the slide block 41 also moves on the sliderail 39 parallel to the opening direction.

As a result thereof, the roller 42, which was in contact with the firstface 36 a, moves up to the position where the roller 42 is separatedfrom the first face 36 a. Note that in FIGS. 13 and 14, the position ofthe roller 42 that has moved up to the position where it is separatedfrom the first face 36 a is shown as the roller 42 a indicated by atwo-dot chain line. Thus, the state of the door 104 being locked by thelocking mechanism 17 is released, and the plugging operation toward theoutside in the vehicle width direction by the plugging mechanism isenabled.

As described above, after the plugging operation toward the outside inthe vehicle width direction is enabled, drive of the brushless electricmotor 21 in the door drive mechanism 13 is further continued. Thus, adriving force that is output to the drive pulley 13 b via the ring gear20 d is further transmitted to the shaft portion 14 via the drive belt13 d and the connecting portion 19. Therefore, the shaft portion 14,when moving in the opening direction, biases the second link 25 in thesame direction.

Here, as shown in FIG. 7, the pivoting of the second link 25 relative tothe first link 24 (pivoting in the clockwise direction around the secondpivoting shaft 27, as viewed from above) is restricted at a positionwhere the guide portion roller 28 comes into contact with the angledface 23 a of the roller guide 23. Therefore, the second link 25 hardlypivots relative to the first link 24, and gives a pivoting force aroundthe first pivoting shaft 26 (a pivoting force in the clockwisedirection, as viewed from above) to the first link 24 via the secondpivoting shaft 27. As a result, the guide portion roller 28 moves alongthe angled face 23 a, and the first link 24 pivots around the firstpivoting shaft 26 toward the direction indicated by arrow H in thediagram.

While the first link 24 is pivoting in the clockwise direction as viewedfrom above, the guide portion roller 28 of the second link 25 movesalong the angled face 23 a of the roller guide 23. At this time, sincethe second link 25 is attracted toward the angled face 23 a side by thehelical spring 30, the guide portion roller 28 is not detached from theangled face 23 a. Also, while the guide portion roller 28 is movingalong the angled face 23 a, a state where the first dent portion 24 a ofthe first link 24 and the second dent portion 25 a of the second link 25surround the shaft portion 14 is maintained.

Upon the shaft portion 14 further moving in the opening direction in theabove-described state, the position where the guide portion roller 28and the roller guide 23 come into contact moves from the angled face 23a to the curved face 23 b. The guide portion roller 28 is thereby drawninward in the vehicle width direction along the curved face 23 b, andthe second link 25 rotates around the second pivoting shaft 27 in theclockwise direction relative to the first link 24, as viewed from above.In other words, as shown in FIG. 11, constraint on the shaft portion 14by the second link 25 is released. Also, at this time, the pivoting ofthe first link 24 in the arrow H direction is restricted due to thefirst link 24 coming into contact with a stopper 44 that is fixed to theroller guide 23.

As described above, the guide portion 15 is configured as a mechanismthat pivots while coming into contact with the shaft portion 14 andguides the shaft portion 14 such that the shaft portion 14 moves towardone side in the vehicle width direction (i.e., in the openingdirection), when the door 104 opens.

Note that, in the present embodiment, the first link 24 is disposed suchthat the first dent portion 24 a is located outward in the vehicle widthdirection of the position of the first pivoting shaft 26, when the door104 is at the closed position. Also, when the door 104 is at the closedposition, the second link 25 is disposed such that the guide portionroller 28 is located outward in the vehicle width direction of thecenter of the shaft portion 14, and that the second pivoting shaft 27 islocated inward in the vehicle width direction of the center of the shaftportion14. With this configuration, the guide portion 15 is configuredsuch that a biasing force from the shaft portion 14 can be efficientlyused for the pivoting of the first link 24.

When the first link 24 pivots as described above, a force toward theoutside in the vehicle width direction acts on the shaft portion 14.Therefore, a force toward the outside in the vehicle width directionalso acts on the door drive mechanism 13 connected to the shaft portion14 via the connecting portion 19, and a force toward the outside in thevehicle width direction also acts on the slide base 12 on which the doordrive mechanism 13 is installed.

As a result thereof, the door drive mechanism 13 and the slide base 12are guided by the slide support portion 11 b of the fixed base 11 andmove outward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the pluggingoperation in which the door 104 moves outward in the vehicle widthdirection is performed. Further, as a result of the plugging operationbeing performed, movement of the door 104 in the opening direction isenabled.

Also, upon the plugging operation toward the outside in the vehiclewidth direction by the plugging mechanism being finished, the slidingcontact portion 38 disposed on the slide rail 39 fixed to the slide base12 also moves outward in the vehicle width direction together with theslide base 12. As a result, the roller 42 that was at the position ofthe roller 42 a indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 14 moves tothe position of the roller 42 b indicated by a dashed line. Then, theroller 42 (42 b) transitions into a state of being in contact with thesecond face 36 b of the fixed lock portion 36.

Note that the lock output portion 22 connected to the carrier 20 c inthe planet gear mechanism 20 is provided with a biasing means (notshown), such as a spring, for biasing the output roller 22 a in thedirection opposite to the direction indicated by two-dot chain linearrow I in FIG. 13. In a state where the roller 42 is in contact withthe second face 36 b, a biasing force of the aforementioned biasingmeans acts on the sliding contact portion 38 via the output roller 22 aand the transmission member 40, and thus, a state where the roller 42 ispressed against the second face 36 b is maintained.

Also, in a state where the roller 42 is pressed against and in contactwith the second face 36 b, a reaction force balanced with a drivingforce that is input from the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism20 to the locking mechanism 17 is generated on the second face 36 b.Thus, the drive pulley 13 b is driven to rotate with a driving forcethat is input from the ring gear 20 d in the planet gear mechanism 20 tothe drive pulley 13 b.

Then, the drive belt 13 d is driven with the rotation of the drivepulley 13 b, and the support rail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in thedouble-speed rail 16 move together with the connecting portion 19. Forthis reason, the upper rack 16 a connected to the door 104 moves at aspeed that is double the speed of the pinion 16 c, relative to the lowerrack 16 b fixed to the slide base 12. Thus, the door 104 moves in theopening direction, and the operation of opening the door 104 isperformed. Note that while the door 104 is moving in the openingdirection, the shaft portion 14 linearly moves in the opening directiontogether with the connecting portion 19, without receiving a force inthe vehicle width direction from the guide portion 15.

FIG. 15 is a schematic view serving as a plan view of the plug doordevice 1 shown in FIG. 3, and is also a diagram indicating the positionof the door 104 that has undergone an opening operation. Upon theoperation of opening the door 104 being finished, the door 104 will moveup to the position indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 15.

In contrast, when the door 104 closes, a reverse operation of theabove-described operation of opening the door 104 is performed. In otherwords, the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 in the door drivemechanism 13 is driven, and the drive pulley 13 b driven via the planetgear mechanism 20 rotates in the direction opposite to that in theabove-described opening operation. Thus, the support rail 16 d and thepinion 16 c that are connected to the connecting portion 19 move in thedirection opposite to that in the above-described opening operation.Then, the upper rack 16 a connected to the door 104 moves at a speedthat is double the speed of the pinion 16 c, relative to the lower rack16 b fixed to the slide base 12. Thus, the door 104 moves in the closingdirection, and the operation of closing the door 104 is performed. Also,the shaft portion 14 linearly moves in the closing direction toward theguide portion 15.

Note that in the guide portion 15, a pivoting force in the clockwisedirection, as viewed from above, acts on the second link 25 due to thehelical spring 30 when the door 104 is in an open state. That is to say,a tension force from the helical spring 30 acts on the second link 25such that the guide portion roller 28 is located at a position where itcomes into contact with the curved face 23 b of the roller guide 23. Inthe present embodiment, the guide portion roller 28 is fitted into arecess having substantially the same semicircular shape as theouter-circumferential shape of the guide portion roller 28 in its curvedface 23 b. Accordingly, the first link 24 and the second link 25 arestably retained at predetermined positions. Specifically, the secondlink 25 is retained at a position where the shaft portion 14 that haslinearly moved in the closing direction can come into contact with theinner periphery of the second dent portion 25 a. Also, the first link 24is retained at a position where the shaft portion 14 that has linearlymoved in the closing direction can be housed within the first dentportion 24 a (see FIG. 11).

Accordingly, when the door 104 has moved in the closing direction by apredetermined amount from the fully-opened position, the shaft portion14 comes into contact with the inner periphery of the second dentportion 25 a of the second link 25 (see FIG. 11) and biases the secondlink 25. At this time, since the second link 25 pivots around the secondpivoting shaft 27 in the anticlockwise direction, as viewed from above,against the force of the helical spring 30, linear movement of the shaftportion 14 in the closing direction is not hindered. During the abovepivoting of the second link 25, the guide portion roller 28 moves alongthe curved face 23 b of the roller guide 23. Note that at the time ofthe pivoting of the second link 25, the first link 24 hardly pivots andis retained at a predetermined position or in the vicinity thereof.

Then, the shaft portion 14 moves in the closing direction up to theposition where it comes into contact with the inner periphery of thefirst dent portion 24 a of the first link 24, and biases the first link24 in the closing direction. The first link 24 thereby pivots around thefirst pivoting shaft 26 in the anticlockwise direction, as viewed fromabove, and the shaft portion 14 is guided toward the inside in thevehicle width direction.

At this time, the door 104 moves similarly to the shaft portion 14. Inother words, the door 104 linearly moves in the closing direction fromthe fully-opened position, and is also drawn inward in the vehicle widthdirection in the vicinity of the closed position and transitions to theclosed position. Thus, the plugging operation toward the inside in thevehicle width direction by the plugging mechanism is finished.

As described above, the guide portion 15 is configured as a mechanismthat pivots while coming into contact with the shaft portion 14 andguides the shaft portion 14 such that the shaft portion 14 moves towardthe other side in the vehicle width direction (i.e., toward the closingdirection), when the door 104 closes.

Also, upon the plugging operation toward the inside in the vehicle widthdirection by the plugging mechanism being finished, the sliding contactportion 38 disposed on the slide rail 39 fixed to the slide base 12 alsomoves toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, together withthe slide base 12. As a result, the roller 42 that was located at theposition of the roller 42 b indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 14 movesto the position of the roller 42 a indicated by a two-dot chain line.

After the roller 42 moves as described above, the reaction force fromthe second face 36 b of the fixed lock portion 36 does not act on theroller 42. Therefore, the transmission member 40 moves parallel to theclosing direction in the vehicle front-rear direction with a drivingforce that is input from the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism20 via the output roller 22 a, and the slide block 41 also moves on theslide rail 39 parallel to the closing direction.

As a result thereof, the roller 42 moves from the position of the roller42 a indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 14 up to the positionwhere it comes into contact with the first face 36 a of the fixed lockportion 36. Thus, the state of the door 104 being locked by the lockingmechanism 17 is ensured, and the plugging operation toward the outsidein the vehicle width direction by the plugging mechanism is disabled.

Note that when the above-described opening operation and closingoperation of the door 104 are performed, the pivoting arms 18 (18 a, 18b) provided respectively in the upper part and the lower part of theentrance 102 pivot. Thus, the movement of the door 104 in the vehiclewidth direction is also guided by the upper and lower pivoting arms 18(18 a, 18 b), and a smooth plugging operation of the door 104 isperformed.

Regarding Effect of Plug Door Device

With the above-described plug door device 1, the guide portion 15 guidesthe shaft portion 14 in the vehicle width direction by pivoting whilecoming into contact with the shaft portion 14. For this reason, theoperation of the guide portion 15 is an operation of following themovement of the door 104 in the vehicle width direction. With thisconfiguration, the space occupied by the guide portion 15 in the vehiclewidth direction can be further reduced in accordance with the state ofmovement of the door 104 in the vehicle width direction. As a result, asmaller plug door device 1 can be realized that can perform theopening/closing operation and the plugging operation using the doordrive mechanism 13 for causing a force in the vehicle front-reardirection to act on the door 104. Also, since the door drive mechanism13 moves the door 104 in the vehicle front-rear direction via thedouble-speed rail 16 constituted by the two racks (16 a, 16 b) and thepinion 16 c, the operating stroke of the door drive mechanism 13 can bedoubled to efficiently move the door 104. As a result, an even smallerplug door device 1 that is even smaller also in the vehicle front-reardirection can be realized.

Further, with the plug door device 1, one door drive mechanism 13 thatis installed on the slide base 12 and moves one door 104 in the vehiclefront-rear direction via the connecting portion 19 and the double-speedrail 16 is configured to include the drive portion 13 a including thedirect-drive brushless electric motor 21, the drive pulley 13 b to whicha driving force from the drive portion 13 a is input, the followerpulleys 13 c, and the endless member (drive belt) 13 d for rotating thefollower pulleys 13 c with the rotation of the drive pulley 13 b. Forthis reason, when the door drive mechanism 13 operates, the drive pulley13 b and the follower pulleys 13 c do not move. As a result, a part ofthe door drive mechanism 13 does not remarkably protrude relative to theentrance 102 where the door 104 is installed, unlike a door drivemechanism including a rack-and-pinion mechanism in which a pair of racksthat mesh with a pinion move in opposite directions, such as onedisclosed in Patent Literature 1. Accordingly, occurrence of restrictionon the installation space is significantly suppressed, and the presentinvention is easily applied also to a one-panel sliding door 104.

Accordingly, according to the present embodiment, a small plug doordevice 1 can be realized that can perform the opening/closing operationand the plugging operation using the door drive mechanism 13 for causinga force in the vehicle front-rear direction to act on the door 104, andfurthermore, a plug door device 1 that is also applicable to a one-panelsliding door 104 can be provided.

Also, with the plug door device 1, the drive portion 13 a is constitutedby the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 and the planet gearmechanism 20. Further, a driving force of the brushless electric motor21 is input to one of the sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ringgear 20 d in the planet gear mechanism 20, a driving force from anotherone thereof is output to the drive pulley 13 b, and a driving force fromthe remaining one thereof is output to the locking mechanism 17. Forthis reason, one direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 enables theoperation of opening/closing the door 104, the plugging operation, andthe operation of locking the door 104 by the locking mechanism 17 to beperformed, and a compact and efficient drive portion 13 a can berealized.

Also, with the plug door device 1, the movable lock portion 37 comesinto contact with the fixed lock portion 36 fixed on the fixed base 11side, on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and movement of thedoor 104 in a closed state outward in the vehicle width direction isrestricted. For this reason, when the door 104 is in a closed state, thedoor 104 is more reliably constrained without rattling such that it doesnot move outward in the vehicle width direction. Accordingly, the door104 in a closed state can be locked without rattling.

Accordingly, according to the present embodiment, a small plug doordevice 1 can be realized that can perform the opening/closing operationand the plugging operation using the door drive mechanism 13 for causinga force in the vehicle front-rear direction to act on the door 104, andfurthermore, a plug door device 1 that can lock the door 104 in a closedstate without rattling can be provided.

Also, with the plug door device 1, a driving force from the planet gearmechanism 20 is transmitted to the sliding contact portion 38 via thetransmission member 40, and the sliding contact portion 38 therebyslides in a predetermined restricted direction on the slide rail 39 andcomes into contact with the fixed lock portion 36. For this reason,since the sliding contact portion 38 smoothly moves on the slide rail 39with the driving force from the planet gear mechanism 20, the necessityfor setting the strength of the planet gear mechanism 20 to a high levelcan be suppressed. As a result, a more compact planet gear mechanism 20can be configured.

Also, with the plug door device 1, the sliding contact portion 38 canmove with the slide block 41 on the slide rail 39, while the rotatableroller 42 of the slide contact portion 38 comes into contact with thefixed lock portion 36. For this reason, hindrance of movement of thesliding contact portion 38 on the slide rail 39 by a force of frictionwith the fixed lock portion 36 is suppressed, and the sliding contactportion 38 can smoothly move on the slide rail 39.

Also, with the plug door device 1, when the door 104 is in a closedstate, the movable lock portion 37 comes into contact with the firstface 36 a of the fixed lock portion 36, and the door 104 is locked. Onthe other hand, when the door 104 opens/closes, the movable lock portion37 comes into contact with the second face 36 b of the fixed lockportion 36, the forces acting on the respective portions are in abalanced state, and the output from the planet gear mechanism 20 to thelocking mechanism 17 is fixed. Then, the drive pulley 13 b, the followerpulleys 13 c, and the endless member (drive belt) 13 d operate with adriving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism 20 to thedrive pulley 13 b, and the operation of opening/closing the door 104 isperformed. For this reason, the driving force from the planet gearmechanism 20 to the drive pulley 13 b and the locking mechanism 17 isdistributed by the fixed lock portion 36 provided with the first face 36a and the second face 36 b that are orthogonal to each other.Accordingly, with a simple mechanism in which the fixed lock portion 36is provided with the first face 36 a and the second face 36 b, aconfiguration in which the driving force is efficiently distributed tothe drive pulley 13 b and the locking mechanism 17 can be realized.

Also, with the plug door device 1, the drive portion 13 a for outputtinga driving force to the locking mechanism 17 is disposed at the centralpart of the door 104 in the vehicle front-rear direction, and thelocking operation by the locking mechanism 17 is performed at thecentral part of the door 104. For this reason, the position where thedoor 104 is locked is prevented from being biased, and the door 104 islocked at a central part in a well-balanced manner. Also, since theplurality of follower pulleys (13 c, 13 c) are disposed on both sides inthe vehicle front-rear direction of the drive pulley 13 b disposed atthe central part of the door 104, the endless member (drive belt) 13 dthat circles therearound can be disposed over a longer circling distancein a compact area. For this reason, the circling distance of the endlessmember 13 d can be efficiently ensured.

Also, with the plug door device 1, one door drive mechanism 13 that isinstalled on the slide base 12 and moves one door 104 in the vehiclefront-rear direction via the connecting portion 19 and the double-speedrail 16 is configured to include the drive portion 13 a including thebrushless electric motor 21, the drive pulley 13 b to which a drivingforce from the drive portion 13 a is input, the follower pulleys 13 c,and the drive belt 13 d for rotating the follower pulleys 13 c with therotation of the drive pulley 13 b. For this reason, when the door drivemechanism 13 operates, the drive pulley 13 b and the follower pulleys 13c do not move. With this configuration, a part of the door drivemechanism 13 does not remarkably protrude relative to the entrance 102where the door 104 is installed. Accordingly, occurrence of restrictionon the installation space is significantly suppressed, and the presentinvention is easily applied also to a one-panel sliding door 104.

Also, with the plug door device 1, the drive portion 13 a is constitutedby a direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 and the planet gearmechanism 20. Further, a driving force of the brushless electric motor21 is input to one of the sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ringgear 20 d in the planet gear mechanism 20, a driving force from anotherone thereof is output to the drive pulley 13 b, and a driving force fromthe remaining one thereof is output to the locking mechanism 17. Forthis reason, one direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 enables theoperation of opening/closing the door 104, the plugging operation, andthe operation of locking the door 104 by the locking mechanism to beperformed, and a compact and efficient drive portion 13 a can berealized.

Second Embodiment

FIG. 16 is a schematic view showing an overall plug door device 2according to a second embodiment of the present invention. The plug doordevice 2 shown in FIG. 16 is suitable for two-panel sliding doors, whichare constituted by two doors. Note that FIG. 16 is a schematic view asviewed from the inside of a vehicle, and shows a state where the plugdoor device 2 is installed together with doors (108, 109) at an entrance106 of the vehicle. FIG. 17 is a schematic view showing a cross-section,as viewed from the position indicated by arrows of line J-J in FIG. 16.FIG. 18 is a schematic view serving as a front view of the plug doordevice 2 and enlarges the upper part of the door 108 in FIG. 16. Notethat FIGS. 16 and 18 omit the drawing of a cover disposed on the insidethe vehicle when the plug door device 2 is housed in the vehicle in theupper part of the entrance 106. FIG. 19 is a schematic view serving as aplan view of the plug door device 2 shown in FIG. 18, which is showntogether with the doors (108, 109). FIG. 20 is an enlarged diagram of apart of FIG. 18. FIG. 21 is a schematic view serving as a side view ofthe plug door device 2 and enlarges the upper part of the door (108,109) in FIG. 17.

Note that in the following description of the second embodiment, thedescription of the constituents that are configured similarly to thosein the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate by providing thesame reference numerals thereto in the drawings or citing the samereference numerals.

Regarding Overall Configuration

As shown in FIG. 16, a vehicle side wall 105 is provided with theentrance 106. Note that FIG. 16 shows a state where the doors (108, 109)are in a closed state, and indicates the entrance 106 with broken lines.A frame 107 is fixed above the entrance 106 so as to extend in a vehiclefront-rear direction. Here, similarly to the first embodiment, the“vehicle front-rear direction” is a direction parallel to a vehicletravelling direction, and is the direction indicated by double arrow Bin FIG. 16. Note that the vehicle side wall 105 and the frame 107constitute a part of the vehicle body.

Also, two doors (108, 109) are installed so as to cover the entrance106. The two doors (108, 109) are two-panel sliding doors, and areopened/closed by the plug door device 2. The doors (108, 109) are formedso as to gradually curve and project at its lower side, outward in awidth direction of the vehicle (see FIG. 17). Here, similarly to thefirst embodiment, the “width direction of the vehicle” (hereinafterreferred to also as the “vehicle width direction”) is a directionvertical to the vehicle front-rear direction and up-down direction, andis a direction indicated by double arrow C in FIG. 17. Note that thedoors (108, 109) are configured to substantially seal the entrance 106at a closed position (position shown in FIGS. 16 and 17), which is theposition where the doors (108, 109) are in a closed state.

The plug door device 2 shown in FIGS. 16 to 21 is installed at theentrance 106 of the vehicle, and is provided as a device for performingan operation of opening/closing the doors (108, 109) and a pluggingoperation of moving the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle width direction.This plug door device 2 is configured to include a fixed base 51, aslide base 52, a door drive mechanism 53 for driving two-panel slidingdoors (108, 109) so as to move the doors (108, 109) in the vehiclefront-rear direction, shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) that are driven bythe door drive mechanism 53 in the vehicle front-rear direction, guideportions 55 (55 a, 55 b) for guiding the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b),double-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b), a locking mechanism 57, pivotingarms 58 (58 a, 58 b), and the like.

The fixed base 51 is fixed to a bracket 107 a, which is a part of theframe 107 that constitute the vehicle body. The fixed base 51 is therebyfixed so as not to move relatively to the vehicle body. Also, the fixedbase 51 is provided with a flat plate-like portion 51 a that ishorizontally installed, and a pair of slide support portions (51 b, 51b) that are provided on both sides in the vehicle front-rear directionof the plate-like portion 51 a. The slide support portions 51 b areprovided as block-like members installed so as to extend in the vehiclewidth direction. A rail member 51 c for supporting the slide base 52slidably in the vehicle width direction is fixed to each slide supportportion 51 b.

The slide base 52 shown in FIGS. 18 and 21 is installed on the fixedbase 51 under it, slidably in the vehicle width direction relative tothe fixed base 51. The slide base 52 is provided with a main body 52 ainstalled so as to horizontally extend in a flat manner, bracketportions 52 b, and wheel portions 52 c. The bracket portions 52 b areeach provided as a portion that extends so as to bend downward relativeto the main body 52 a at an end on the outside (door 108, 109 side) inthe vehicle width direction of the main body 52 a, and thereafter,horizontally bend toward the outside in the vehicle width direction. Aplurality of bracket portions 52 b are provided so as to extend from aplurality of positions in the vehicle front-rear direction with respectto the main body 52 a. The double-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b), whichwill be described later, are installed on the respective bracketportions 52 b. The wheel portions 52 c are installed on both sides inthe vehicle front-rear direction of the main body 52 a, and are eachconfigured to include a wheel that rolls on the rail member 51 cextending in the vehicle width direction. The slide base 52 is therebyconfigured to be slidable in the vehicle width direction relative to thefixed base 51.

Regarding Door Drive Mechanism and Double-Speed Rail

The door drive mechanism 53 shown in FIGS. 18 to 21 are installed on themain body 52 a of the slide base 52 and is provided as a mechanism formoving the two doors (108, 109) in the vehicle front-rear direction viathe connecting portion 59. Note that in the present embodiment, the doordrive mechanism 53 is installed at the lower side of the main body 52 a.The door drive mechanism 53 is configured to include a drive portion 53a including a direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 (see FIG. 6 inthe first embodiment; not shown in FIGS. 18 to 21) configured similarlyto the brushless electric motor 21 in the first embodiment, arack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b, and the like.

The rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b is provided as a mechanism for movingthe connecting portion 59 as a result of receiving an input of a drivingforce from the drive portion 53 a. The rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b isconfigured to include two facing drive racks 60 (60 a, 60 b) and a drivepinion 61. The two facing drive racks 60 (60 a, 60 b) include an outerdrive rack 60 a disposed outside in the vehicle width direction and aninner drive rack 60 b disposed on the inside in the vehicle widthdirection. The outer drive rack 60 a and the inner drive rack 60 b aredisposed so as to extend parallel to each other in the vehiclefront-rear direction.

The drive pinion 61 is disposed between the two drive racks (60 a, 60b), and are disposed so as to mesh with teeth provided on the facingsides of the two drive racks (60 a, 60 b). Further, the drive pinion 61is disposed such that its rotary axis extends in a vertical direction.Also, the drive pinion 61 is fixed concentrically with a ring gear 20 din a planet gear mechanism 20 in the drive portion 53 a. For thisreason, the drive pinion 61 is configured to rotate with the rotation ofthe ring gear 20 d around the same rotary axis. As a result of the drivepinion 61 rotating together with the ring gear 20 d, the two drive racks(60 a, 60 b) that mesh with the drive pinion 61 moves in oppositedirections in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Also, the drive portion 53 a and the drive pinion 61 in therack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b are disposed at the central part in thevehicle front-rear direction of the slide base 52. Further, theconnecting portion 59 is attached to the drive racks 60 (60 a, 60 b) inthe rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b.

The drive portion 53 a is configured similarly to the drive portion 13 ain the first embodiment. In other words, the drive portion 53 a isconfigured to include the brushless electric motor 21 that is providedas a driving source and constitutes an electric motor in the presentembodiment, as well as a planet gear mechanism 20 to which a drivingforce from the brushless electric motor 21 is input. The planet gearmechanism 20 is configured, similarly to that in the first embodiment,to include a sun gear 20 a, a plurality of planet gears 20 b, a carrier20 c, a ring gear 20 d, and the like.

The sun gear 20 a, the planet gears 20 b, the carrier 20 c, and the ringgear 20 d are configured similarly to those in the first embodiment. Inother words, a driving force from the brushless electric motor 21 isinput to the sun gear 20 a, the planet gears 20 b are disposed so as torevolve around the sun gear 20 a, and the carrier 20 c is provided as aframe member for revolvably supporting the planet gears 20 b. The ringgear 20 d is provided as a ring-like gear having aninner-circumferential internal gear that mesh with the planet gears 20b. As described above, the drive pinion 61 in the rack-and-pinionmechanism 53 b is fixed to the ring gear 20 d.

A part of the outer-circumferential portion of the carrier 20 c isconnected to a lock output portion 22, which is provided similarly tothat in the first embodiment. The lock output portion 22 is provided asa mechanism for inputting a driving force that is output from thecarrier 20 c to the locking mechanism 57 as a result of the carrier 20 cswinging around the axis of the sun gear 20 a. The lock output portion22 is configured to convert the direction in which a driving forceoutput as a result of the swinging of the carrier 20 c acts, and outputthe converted driving force as a driving force in a linear directionparallel to the vehicle front-rear direction. Also, an output roller 22a is provided at a tip portion of the lock output portion 22 from whichthe driving force is output. Also, the lock output portion 22 isprovided with an output roller shaft 22 b for rotatably supporting theoutput roller 22 a, and a driving force of the carrier 20 c is input toa transmission member 40 in the locking mechanism 57 via the outputroller shaft 22 b.

Note that although the present embodiment described an exemplary mode inwhich the driving force from the direct-drive brushless electric motor21 is input to the sun gear 20 a, the driving force output from the ringgear 20 d is input to the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b, and thedriving force output from the carrier 20 c is input to the lockingmechanism 57, this need not be the case. The configuration need only besuch that the driving force from the brushless electric motor 21 isinput to one of the sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ring gear20 d, the driving force output from one of the sun gear 20 a, thecarrier 20 c, and the ring gear 20 d is input to the rack-and-pinionmechanism 53 b, and the driving force output from the remaining one ofthe sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ring gear 20 d is input tothe locking mechanism 57.

The connecting portion 59 that is attached to the drive racks 60 (60 a,60 b) and transmits a driving force from the door drive mechanism 53include a connecting portion 59 a attached to the outer drive rack 60 aand a connecting portion 59 b attached to the inner drive rack 60 b.Both the connecting portion 59 a and the connecting portion 59 b areconstituted by plate-like members that are formed in a bent manner. Theconnecting portion 59 a is fixed to the outer drive rack 60 a at its endon the door 108 side in the vehicle front-rear direction. The connectingportion 59 b is fixed to the inner drive rack 60 b at its end on thedoor 109 side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

The connecting portion 59 a is configured to horizontally extend towardthe door 108 side from the portion fixed to the outer drive rack 60 a,and then bend and extend upward. Then, the connecting portion 59 a isfixed, at an end of the upward-extending portion, to a support rail 16 dof the double-speed rail 56 a of the double-speed rails 56 that isdisposed on the door 108 side in the vehicle front-rear direction. Theconnecting portion 59 b is configured to horizontally extend toward thedoor 108 side from the portion fixed to the inner drive rack 60 b, andthen bend and extend upward. Then, the connecting portion 59 b is fixed,at an end of the upward-extending portion, to a support rail 16 d of thedouble-speed rail 56 b of the double-speed rails 56 that is disposed onthe door 109 side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Also, the connecting portion 59 a is provided with a protruding endportion that partially bends from the end of the upward-extendingportion and horizontally protrudes and extends. This protruding endportion is provided with the shaft portion 54 a that protrudes in acantilevered manner so as to extend upward. Note that the shaft portion54 a is configured similarly to the shaft portion 14 in the firstembodiment, and is provided with a shaft portion roller that isrotatably attached to the shaft body of the shaft portion 54 a fixed tothe protruding end portion.

Also, the connecting portion 59 b is provided with a protruding endportion that partially bends from the end of the upward-extendingportion and horizontally protrudes and extends. This protruding endportion is provided with the shaft portion 54 b that protrudes in acantilevered manner so as to extend upward. Note that the shaft portion54 b is configured similarly to the shaft portion 14 in the firstembodiment, and is provided with a shaft portion roller that isrotatably attached to the shaft body of the shaft portion 54 b fixed tothe protruding end portion.

The double-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b) shown in FIGS. 18 to 21 include adouble-speed rail 56 a disposed on the door 108 side in the vehiclefront-rear direction and a double-speed rail 56 b disposed on the door109 side in the vehicle front-rear direction. The double-speed rail 56 aand the double-speed rail 56 b are provided so as to extend in thevehicle front-rear direction, and both are configured similarly to thedouble-speed rail 16 in the first embodiment. In other words, both thedouble-speed rails (56 a, 56 b) are configured to include two racks(upper rack 16 a, lower rack 16 b) that extend parallel to each other inthe vehicle front-rear direction and face each other, a pinion 16 c thatmeshes with both racks (16 a, 16 b), and a support rail 16 d forrotatably supporting the pinion 16 c and supporting both racks (16 a, 16b) slidably in the vehicle front-rear direction.

The pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 a is connected to theconnecting portion 59 a side. In other words, the pinion 16 c in thedouble-speed rail 56 a is connected to the connecting portion 59 a viathe support rail 16 d in the double-speed rail 56 a. For this reason,the connecting portion 59 a fixed to the drive rack 60 a and the supportrail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 a areconnected to each other such that relative positions thereof do notchange.

On the other hand, the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 b isconnected to the connecting portion 59 b side. In other words, thepinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 b is connected to the connectingportion 59 b via the support rail 16 d in the double-speed rail 56 b.For this reason, the connecting portion 59 b fixed to the drive rack 60b and the support rail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail56 b are connected to each other such that relative positions thereof donot change.

Also, in the double-speed rail 56 a, the lower rack 16 b, which is oneof the two racks (16 a, 16 b), is fixed and connected to the bracketportion 52 b of the slide base 52, and the other rack, namely the upperrack 16 a is connected to the door 108 side. Note that the upper rack 16a is connected to the door 108 via a door support member 108 a. The doorsupport member 108 a supports the door 108 in a suspending manner.

Also, in the double-speed rail 56 b, the lower rack 16 b, which is oneof the two racks (16 a, 16 b), is fixed and connected to the bracketportion 52 b of the slide base 52, and the other rack, namely the upperrack 16 a is connected to the door 109 side. Note that the upper rack 16a is connected to the door 109 via a door support member, which isconfigured similarly to the door support member 108 a. This door supportmember supports the door 109 in a suspending manner.

Upon the drive pinion 61 in the door drive mechanism 53 being driven,the support rail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 amove together with the connecting portion 59 a fixed to the drive rack60 a in the vehicle front-rear direction. Thus, similarly to thedouble-speed rail 16 in the first embodiment, the upper rack 16 a in thedouble-speed rail 56 a moves relative to the lower rack 16 b at a speedthat is double the moving speed of the pinion 16 c by a distance that isdouble the moving distance of the pinion 16 c. As a result, the door 108connected to the upper rack 16 a via the door support member 108 a movestoward one side in the vehicle front-rear direction, relative to theslide base 52 to which the lower rack 16 b in the double-speed rail 56 ais connected.

Also, upon the drive pinion 61 being driven, the support rail 16 d andthe pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 b also move together withthe connecting portion 59 b fixed to the drive rack 60 b in the vehiclefront-rear direction at the same timing as the aforementioned operationtiming of the double-speed rail 56 a. At this time, the drive rack 60 bmoves in an opposite direction that of to the drive rack 60 a, and thepinion 16 c of the double-speed rail 56 b moves in an opposite directionto that of the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 a. Further, theupper rack 16 a in the double-speed rail 56 b also moves relative to thelower rack 16 b at a speed that is double the moving speed of the pinion16 c by a distance that is double the moving distance of the pinion 16c. As a result, the door 109 connected to the upper rack 16 a via thedoor support member moves toward the other side in the vehiclefront-rear direction, relative to the slide base 52 to which the lowerrack 16 b of the double-speed rail 56 b is connected. In other words,the door 109 moves in the direction opposite to the moving direction ofthe door 108 in the vehicle front-rear direction. For this reason, theplug door device 2 is configured such that the two-panel sliding doors(108, 109) are driven to symmetrically open/close.

Regarding Plugging Mechanism and Pivoting Arm

In the plug door device 2, the plugging mechanism for performing theplugging operation of moving the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle widthdirection is configured to include the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b),the guide portions 55 (55 a, 55 b), and roller guides (23, 23). Notethat the plugging mechanism for performing the plugging operation on thedoor 108 side is constituted by the shaft portion 54 a, the guideportion 55 a, and the roller guide 23, and the plugging mechanism forperforming the plugging operation of the door 109 side is constituted bythe shaft portion 54 b, the guide portion 55 b, and the roller guide 23.

The plugging mechanism for performing the plugging operation on the door108 side and the plugging mechanism for performing the pluggingoperation on the door 109 side are both configured similarly to theplugging mechanism (shaft portion 14, guide portion 15, roller guide 23)in the first embodiment. Further, the guide portion 55 a in the pluggingmechanism on the door 108 side is configured to include a first link 24and a second link 25, similarly to the guide portion 14 in the firstembodiment, and is provided so as to guide the shaft portion 54 aprovided on the protruding end portion of the connecting portion 59 a.Also, the guide portion 55 b in the plugging mechanism on the door 109side is configured to include a first link 24 and a second link 25,similarly to the guide portion 14 in the first embodiment, and isprovided so as to guide the shaft portion 54 b provided on theprotruding end portion of the connecting portion 59 b.

Note that the plugging mechanism on the door 108 side is set such thatthe disposition and configuration of the constituent elements in thevehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle width direction aresimilar to those in the plugging mechanism (shaft portion 14, guideportion 15, roller guide 23) in the first embodiment. On the other hand,the plugging mechanism on the door 109 side is set such that thedisposition and configuration of the constituent elements in the vehiclefront-rear direction and in the vehicle width direction are in a stateof disposition in line symmetry with respect to the plugging mechanismon the door 108 side about a virtual line that passes through thecentral position in the vehicle front-rear direction of the entrance 106and horizontally extends in the vehicle width direction.

The pivoting arms 58 are disposed in the upper part and the lower partof the entrance 106 on both sides in the vehicle front-rear direction,and a pivoting arm 58 a for guiding the door 108 in the vehicle widthdirection and a pivoting arm 58 b for guiding the door 109 in thevehicle width direction are provided as the pivoting arms 58. Both thepivoting arm 58 a and the pivoting arm 58 b are configured similarly tothe pivoting arm 18 in the first embodiment, and are each configured toinclude an upper pivoting arml8 a fixed on the upper side of theconnecting shaft 31 and a lower pivoting arm 18 b fixed on the lowerside of the connecting shaft 31.

Note that the pivoting arm 58 a is set such that the disposition andconfiguration of the constituent components in the vehicle front-reardirection and in the vehicle width direction are similar to those of thepivoting arm 18 in the first embodiment. On the other hand, the pivotingarm 58 b is set such that the disposition and configuration of theconstituent elements in the vehicle front-rear direction and in thevehicle width direction are in a state of disposition in line symmetrywith respect to the pivoting arm 58 a about a virtual line that passesthrough the central position in the vehicle front-rear direction of theentrance 106 and horizontally extends in the vehicle width direction.

Regarding Locking Mechanism

The locking mechanism 57 shown in FIGS. 18, 20, and 21 are provided as amechanism capable of locking the doors (108, 109) so as to limit theirmovement at the closed positions of the doors (108, 109). The lockingmechanism 57 is configured to include locking pins 63 (63 a, 63 b), linkmechanisms 64 (64 a, 64 b, 64 c), a link retaining mechanism 65, a fixedlock portion 62, and a movable lock portion 37.

The locking pins 63 (63 a, 63 b) are provided as pin-like portionsinstalled on arm members (66 a, 66 b) that are fixed to the drive racks60 (60 a, 60 b) or the connecting portions 59 (59 a, 59 b). The armmember 66 a is fixed to the drive rack 60 a or the connecting portion 59a. The arm member 66 b is fixed to the drive rack 60 b or the connectingportion 59 b. The arm members (66 a, 66 b) are provided so as to extendinward in the vehicle width direction from the drive racks 60 (60 a, 60b) or the connecting portions 59 (59 a, 59 b). Further, the arm members(66 a, 66 b) are each provided with a portion that protrudes along thevehicle front-rear direction on its inner end side in the vehicle widthdirection. The portions of the arm members (66 a, 66 b) protruding inthe vehicle front-rear direction are disposed so as to protrude in acantilevered manner from the front side and the rear side of thevehicle, respectively, toward the center in the vehicle front-reardirection of the entrance 106. Further, the locking pins (63 a, 63 b)are fixed respectively to the ends on the tip side of the arm members(66 a, 66 b) that protrude in a cantilevered manner in the vehiclefront-rear direction. Note that the locking pin 63 a is provided so asto protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the end on thetip side of the arm member 66 a. On the other hand, the locking pin 63 bis provided so as to protrude outward in the vehicle width directionfrom the end on the tip side of the arm member 66 b.

FIG. 22 is a front view showing the link mechanism 64 and the linkretaining mechanism 65 together with a guide plate 43. As shown well inFIGS. 20 and 22, the link mechanism 64 is provided as a mechanismcapable of being deformed into a linear state and into a bent state on avertical plane. The link mechanism 64 is configured by three links (64a, 64 b, 64 c) being connected in tandem. The central link 64 a ispivotably supported by a connecting pin 67 a at the center, relative tothe guide plate 43. Note that the guide plate 43 is provided as aplate-like member that is fixed to a housing or the like of the driveportion 53 a installed on the slide base 52, similarly to that in thefirst embodiment. Further, the guide plate 43 has an elongated hole 43 athat is formed below the position where the connecting pin 67 a isattached and in which the output roller 22 a is disposed. The outputroller 22 a moves in the vehicle front-rear direction by moving alongthe elongated hole 43 a.

Further, one end of the link 64 b is pivotably connected to one end ofthe central link 64 a via the connecting pin 67 b. One end of the link64 c is pivotably connected to the other end of the central link 64 avia the connecting pin 67 c. Also, a pin 67 d is provided at an end ofthe link 64 b opposite to the side connected to the link 64 a. A pin 67e is provided at an end of the link 64 c opposite to the side connectedto the link 64 a. Ends of the aforementioned pins (67 d, 67 e) providedat the ends of the link mechanism 64 are inserted in a freely fittedmanner in guide grooves (43 b, 43 c) in an elongated hole shapeextending parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction in the guideplate 43.

Also, the central link 64 a is provided with a portion protrudingdownward from the halfway part between the connecting pin 67 a and theconnecting pin 67 b, and a recessed portion 68 that is open at aposition facing the elongated hole 43 a and is able to come into contactwith the output roller22 a is formed by an end of the protrudingportion. In the link mechanism 64, the link 64 a that comes intocontact, at the recessed portion 68, with the output roller 22 a movingalong the elongated hole 43 a pivots around the connecting pin 67 a.Further, with the pivoting of the link 64 a, the links (64 b, 64 c) withthe pins (67 d, 67 e) whose moving directions are restricted by theguide grooves (43 b, 43 c) pivot around the connecting pins (67 b, 67 c)relatively to the link 64 a. Thus, the link mechanism 64 deform from alinear state into a bent state.

The link retaining mechanism 65 is configured to include a pair ofengaging members (69 a, 69 b) and a pair of biasing springs (70 a, 70b). The pair of engaging members (69 a, 69 b) are disposed pivotably ona vertical plane symmetrically to the link mechanism 64 (i.e., to theconnecting pin 67 a) in the vicinity of both ends of the link mechanism64. Note that the engaging member 69 a is pivotably supported via thepivoting shaft 73 a relative to the guide plate 43. Also, the engagingmember 69 b is pivotably supported via the pivoting shaft 73 b relativeto the guide plate 43.

The engaging members (69 a, 69 b) are each provided at their peripheralpart with a first engaging portion (71 a, 71 b) and a second engagingportion (72 a, 72 b) that are formed in a recessed shape. The firstengaging portion 71 a and the second engaging portion 72 a are providedin the engaging member 69 a, and the first engaging portion 71 b and thesecond engaging portion 72 b are provided in the engaging member 69 b.

The first engaging portion 71 a is provided as a recess that can beengaged with the locking pin 63 a, and the first engaging portion 71 bis provided as a recess that can be engaged with the locking pin 63 b.Also, the second engaging portion 72 a is provided as a recess that canbe engaged with the pin 67 d, and the second engaging portion 72 b isprovided as a recess that can be engaged with the pin 67 e. Note thatthe portion of the pin 67 d that can be engaged with the second engagingportion 72 a is provided as a portion which has a diameter that is astep-wise concentric expansion of a portion thereof that can come intocontact with the guide groove 43 b. The portion of the pin 67 e that canbe engaged with the second engaging portion 72 b is provided as aportion which has a diameter that is a step-wise concentric expansion ofa portion thereof that can come into contact with the guide groove 43 c.

The pair of biasing springs (70 a, 70 b) are provided with coil-likespring members that respectively bias the engaging members (69 a, 69 b)so as to cause them to pivot in predetermined directions. The biasingspring 70 a is stopped in a manner that one end of the spring member,which is wound in a coil-like manner, is engaged with a projectionprovided on the guide plate 43 and wound around the pivoting shaft 73 a,and thereafter, the other end of the spring member that is would in acoil-like manner is engaged with a projection provided on the engagingmember 69 a. The biasing spring 70 a is thereby configured to bias theengaging member 69 a so as to cause the engaging member 69 a to pivotaround the pivoting shaft 73 a in the anticlockwise direction, as viewedfrom the inside in the vehicle width direction. Also, the biasing spring70 b is stopped in a manner that one end of the spring member, which iswound in a coil-like manner, is engaged with a projection provided onthe guide plate 43 and wound around the pivoting shaft 73 b, andthereafter, the other end of the spring member that is wound in acoil-like manner is engaged with a projection provided on the engagingmember 69 b. The biasing spring 70 b is thereby configured to bias theengaging member 69 b so as to cause the engaging member 69 b to pivotaround the pivoting shaft 73 b in the clockwise direction, as viewedfrom the inside in the vehicle width direction.

FIG. 23 is a diagram schematically showing a state where the linkmechanism 64 is in a linear state and engaged with the second engagingportions (72 a, 72 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) in a statewhere the doors (108, 109) are at the closed positions. Note that FIG.23 schematically shows a positional relationship between the linkmechanism 64, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b), the elongated hole 43a, the guide grooves (43 b, 43 c), the output roller 22 a, and the like,as viewed from the front side (i.e., from the inside in the vehiclewidth direction).

In the state shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the link mechanism 64 is in alinear state and engaged with the engaging members (69 a, 69 b), and theengaging members (69 a, 69 b) are engaged with the locking pins (63 a,63 b) at the first engaging portions (71 a, 71 b). When, in this state,a driving force that is output as a result of the carrier 20 c in theplanet gear mechanism 20 swinging is output to the output roller 22 a inthe lock output portion 22, the output roller 22 a moves within theelongated hole 43 a in the direction indicated by arrow K in thediagram.

As a result thereof, the output roller 22 a comes into contact with therecessed portion 68 of the link 64 a, and the link 64 a pivots aroundthe connecting pin 67 a. Then, the links (64 b, 64 c) pivot relativelyto the link 64 a, and the link mechanism 64 is in a bent state. Thus,the engagement of both ends of the link mechanism 64 with the secondengaging portions (72 a, 72 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) isreleased. Then, when the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b operates with adriving force output from the ring gear 20 d in the planet gearmechanism 20 and the arm members (66 a, 66 b) move together with thedrive racks (60 a, 60 b) or the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b), thelocking pins (63 a, 63 b) also move in directions diverging from eachother toward the opening directions of the doors (108, 109).

Since the engagement between the link mechanism 64 and the engagingmembers (69 a, 69 b) is released, upon the locking pins (63 a, 63 b)moving as described above, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) pivot inthe directions in which they are biased by the biasing springs (70 a, 70b), and the engagement between the locking pins (63 a, 63 b) and thefirst engaging portions (71 a, 71 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69b) is released. Then, the state of the link mechanism 64 and theengaging members (69 a, 69 b) transitions to the state shown in FIG. 24.

In the state shown in FIG. 24, no external force is applied to the linkretaining mechanism 65, and the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) areretained in the state shown in FIG. 24 by the spring force given by thebiasing springs (70 a, 70 b). Further, in this state, the engagingmembers (69 a, 69 b) constrain linearly extending movement of the linkmechanism 64 with outer peripheral portions (74 a, 74 b). In otherwords, the outer peripheral portion 74 a of the engaging member 69 aconstrains the movement of an end of the link mechanism 64 on the pin 67d side, and the outer peripheral portion 74 b of the engaging member 69b constrains the movement of the link mechanism 64 on the pin 67 e side.Thus, when the link mechanism 64 is held in a bent state by the linkretaining mechanism 65, the output roller 22 a is retained at therecessed portion 68 of the link 64 a, and the state where an output tothe carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 is fixed is maintained.

On the other hand, when the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b moves in thedirection opposite to the aforementioned direction, the locking pins (63a, 63 b) move together with the arm members (66 a, 66 b) in directionsin which they approach each other toward the closing directions of thedoors (108, 109). Upon the locking pins (63 a, 63 b) thus moving, thelocking pins (63 a, 63 b) engage with the first engaging portions (71 a,71 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b), and the engaging members (69a, 69 b) pivot in the directions that are respectively opposite to thedirections in which they are biased by the biasing springs (70 a, 70 b).Then, the state of the link mechanism 64 and the engaging members (69 a,69 b) transitions to the state shown in FIG. 25.

In the state shown in FIG. 25, the second engaging portions (72 a, 72 b)of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) face both ends of the linkmechanism 64, and the link mechanism 64 is in a state of being able tobe engaged with the engaging members (69 a, 69 b). In this state, thecarrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 swings and the outputroller 22 a in the lock output portion 22 moves within the elongatedhole 43 a in the direction of arrow L shown in the drawing, and as aresult, the link 64 a is biased by the output roller 22 a in thevicinity of the connecting pin 67 c. The link 64 a thereby pivots aroundthe connecting pin 67 a, and the link mechanism 64 will deform from abent state into a linear state. Then, as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, bothends of the link mechanism 64 are engaged with the second engagingportions (72 a, 72 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b).

FIG. 26 is a plan view showing the fixed lock portion 62 and the movablelock portion 37 in the locking mechanism 57. The fixed lock portion 62is configured as a block-like member provided so as to be fixed to thefixed base 51. The fixed lock portion 62 is provided with a first face36 a and an angled face 36 c, which are configured similarly to those ofthe fixed lock portion 36 in the first embodiment. However, the fixedlock portion 62 is different from the fixed lock portion 36 in the firstembodiment in that it is not provided with a second face 36 b.

Note that in the second embodiment, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) inthe link retaining mechanism 65 are provided with the outer peripheralportions (74 a, 74 b) for retaining the link mechanism 64 in a bentstate. For this reason, these outer peripheral portions (74 a, 74 b)achieve a function of generating a reaction force balanced with adriving force that is input from the carrier 20 c in the planet gearmechanism 20 to the locking mechanism 57 such that the drive pinion 61is driven to rotate with a driving force that is input from the ringgear 20 d in the planet gear mechanism 20 to the rack-and-pinionmechanism 53 b. It is thereby unnecessary to provide the fixed lockportion 62 with a second face 36 b similar to that in the firstembodiment.

The movable lock portion 37 is provided so as to be movable with adriving force that is output from the carrier 20 c in the planet gearmechanism 20 to the locking mechanism 57. The movable lock portion 37 isconfigured to come into contact with the fixed lock portion 62 on theinside in the vehicle width direction at the closed position of thedoors (108, 109). Thus, the locking mechanism 57 is provided so as torestrict movement of the doors (108, 109) outward in the vehicle widthdirection when the doors (108, 109) are in a closed state, as a resultof the movable lock portion 37 coming into contact with the fixed lockportion 62.

The movable lock portion 37 is configured similar to the movable lockportion 37 in the first embodiment, and is configured to include asliding contact portion 38 capable of coming into contact with the fixedlock portion 62, a slide rail 39, and a transmission member 40. Thesliding contact portion 38 is configured to include a slide block 41 anda roller 42, similarly to that in the first embodiment. The slide rail39 and the transmission member 40 are also configured similarly to thosein the first embodiment.

Note that in the second embodiment, the transmission member 40 is fixedto the output roller shaft 22 b in the lock output portion 22 (see FIG.21). Although the guide plate 43 is omitted in FIG. 21, the outputroller shaft 22 b penetrates the elongated hole 43 a in the guide plate43 and is fixed on the lower end side of the transmission member 40.Also, the output roller 22 a is rotatably supported at a positioncorresponding to the elongated hole 43 a with respect to the outputroller shaft 22 b that penetrates the elongated hole 43 a.

Regarding Operation of Plug Door Device

Next, the operation of the plug door device 1 will be described. Asshown in FIGS. 16 to 21, when the doors (108, 109) are at the closedpositions, the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) are engaged with the firstlink 24 and the second link 25 in the respective guide portions 55 (55a, 55 b).

Also, in the locking mechanism 57, the roller 42 is in contact with thefirst face 36 a of the fixed lock portion 62 when the doors (108, 109)are at the closed positions, as shown in FIGS. 20, 21, and 26. For thisreason, movement of the slide base 52 outward in the vehicle widthdirection is restricted via the locking mechanism 57 and the carrier 20c of the planet gear mechanism 20. This state restricts the pluggingoperation toward the outside in the vehicle width direction by theplugging mechanism, and the doors (108, 109) are locked such that theirmovement is restricted.

As a result of the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 in the doordrive mechanism 53 being driven in the above-described state at theclosed position, the sun gear 20 a in the planet gear mechanism 20starts to rotate, and the planet gears 20 b around the sun gear 20 astart to revolve around the sun gear 20 a while meshing with the ringgear 20 d. Then, the carrier 20 c swings with the revolution of theplanet gears 20 b, and the output roller 22 a and the output rollershaft 22 b thereby move within the elongated hole 43 a in the directionindicated by arrow K in FIG. 23.

Thus, the transmission member 40 moves together with the output rollershaft 22 b parallel to the opening direction of the door 108 in thevehicle front-rear direction, and the slide block 41 also moves on theslide rail 39 parallel to the opening direction of the door 108.Further, the link mechanism 64 transitions from a linear state where itis engaged, at its both ends, with the second engaging portions (72 a,72 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) (see FIGS. 22 and 23) to abend state where the engagement of both ends with the second engagingportions (72 a, 72 b) is released.

As a result thereof, the roller 42, which was in contact with the firstface 36 a, moves up to the position where the roller 42 is separatedfrom the first face 36 a. Then, the locking pins (63 a, 63) that wasengaged with the first engaging portions (71 a, 71 b) of the engagingmembers (69 a, 69 b) moves up to the position where they are separatedfrom the first engaging portions (71 a, 71 b). Note that in FIG. 26, theposition of the roller 42 that has moved up to the position where it isseparated from the first face 36 a is shown as the roller 42 a indicatedby a two-dot chain line. Thus, the state of the doors (108, 109) beinglocked by the locking mechanism 57 is released, and the pluggingoperation toward the outside in the vehicle width direction by theplugging mechanism is enabled.

As described above, after the plugging operation toward the outside inthe vehicle width direction is enabled, drive of the brushless electricmotor 21 in the door drive mechanism 53 is further continued. Thus, adriving force that is output to the drive pinion 61 in therack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b via the ring gear 20 d is furthertransmitted to the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) via the drive racks (60a, 60 b) and the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b). For this reason, theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b), when moving the doors (108, 109) in therespective opening directions, bias the second links 25 in therespective guide portions (55 a, 55 b) in the same direction. Then, theguide portions (55 a, 55 b) move similarly to the guide portion 15 inthe first embodiment. In other words, when the doors (108, 109) open,the guide portions (55 a, 55 b) pivot while coming into contact with theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b) and guide the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b)such that the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) move toward one side in thevehicle width direction (i.e., in the opening direction of the door 108and the opening direction of the door 109).

Also, when the guide portions (55 a, 55 b) operate as described above, aforce toward the outside in the vehicle width direction acts on theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b). Therefore, a force toward the outside inthe vehicle width direction also acts on the door drive mechanism 53connected to the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) via the connecting portions(59 a, 59 b), and a force toward the outside in the vehicle widthdirection also acts on the slide base 52 on which the door drivemechanism 53 is installed.

As a result thereof, the door drive mechanism 53 and the slide base 52are guided by the slide support portion 51 b of the fixed base 51 andmove outward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the pluggingoperation in which the doors (108, 109) move outward in the vehiclewidth direction is performed. Further, as a result of the pluggingoperation being performed, the movement of the doors (108, 109) in theopening directions is enabled.

Also, upon the plugging operation toward the outside in the vehiclewidth direction by the plugging mechanism being finished, the slidingcontact portion 38 disposed on the slide rail 39 fixed to the slide base52 also moves outward in the vehicle width direction together with theslide base 52. As a result, the roller 42 that was at the position ofthe roller 42 a indicated by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 26 moves tothe position of the roller 42 b indicated by a dashed line. At thistime, unlike in the first embodiment, the roller 42 is not in contactwith the fixed lock portion 62. However, as shown in FIG. 24, themovement of both ends of the link mechanism 64 in a bent state isconstrained by the outer peripheral portions (74 a, 74 b) of theengaging members (69 a, 69 b).

Note that the lock output portion 22 connected to the carrier 20 c inthe planet gear mechanism 20 is provided with a biasing means (notshown), such as a spring, for biasing the output roller 22 a in thedirection opposite to the direction indicated by arrow K in FIG. 23. Ina state where both ends of the link mechanism 64 are in contact with andconstrained by the outer peripheral portions (74 a, 74 b) of theengaging members (69 a, 69 b), the state where the link mechanism 64 ispressed against the outer peripheral portions (74 a, 74 b) of theengaging members (69 a, 69 b) is maintained as a result of a biasingforce of the aforementioned biasing means acting on the output roller 22a and the link mechanism 64.

Also, in a state where both ends of the link mechanism 64 are pressedagainst and in contact with the outer peripheral portions (74 a, 74 b)of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b), a reaction force balanced with adriving force that is input from the carrier 20 c in the planet gearmechanism 20 to the locking mechanism 57 is generated at the outerperipheral portions (74 a, 74 b). The drive pinion 61 is thereby drivento rotate with a driving force that is input from the ring gear 20 d inthe planet gear mechanism 20 to the drive pinion 61.

Further, the drive racks (60 a, 60 b) are driven in opposite directionswith the rotation of the drive pinion 61, and the support rails 16 d andthe pinions 16 c in the double-speed rails (56 a, 56 b) move togetherwith the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b). For this reason, on thedouble-speed rails (56 a, 56 b), the upper racks 16 a connected to thedoors (108, 109) move at a speed that is double the speed of the pinion16 c, relative to the lower racks 16 b fixed to the slide base 52. Thedoors (108, 109) thereby move in the respective opening directions, andthe operation of opening the doors (108, 109) is performed. Note thatwhile the doors (108, 109) are moving in the opening directions, theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b) linearly move in the opening directions ofthe doors (108, 109) together with the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b),without receiving a force in the vehicle width direction from the guideportions (55 a, 55 b).

On the other hand, when the doors (108, 109) close, a reverse operationof the above-described operation of opening the doors (108, 109) isperformed. In other words, the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21in the door drive mechanism 53 is driven, and the drive pinion 61 drivenvia the planet gear mechanism 20 rotates in the direction opposite tothat in the above-described opening operation. Thus, the support rails16 d and the pinions 16 c in the double-speed rails (56 a, 56 b) thatare connected to the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b) move in thedirections opposite to those in the above-described opening operation.Further, in the double-speed rails (56 a, 56 b), the upper racks 16 aconnected to the doors (108, 109) move at a speed that is double thespeed of the pinions 16 c, relative to the lower racks 16 b fixed to theslide base 52. Thus, the doors (108, 109) move in the respective closingdirections, and the operation of closing the doors (108, 109) isperformed. Also, the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) linearly move in therespective closing directions toward the guide portions (55 a, 55 b).

Accordingly, when the doors (108, 109) have moved in the closingdirections by a predetermined amount from fully-opened positions, theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b) come into contact with the second links 25in the respective guide portions (55 a, 55 b) and bias the second links25. Then, the guide portions (55 a, 55 b) move similarly to the guideportion 15 in the first embodiment. In other words, when the doors (108,109) close, the guide portions (55 a, 55 b) pivot while coming intocontact with the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) and guide the shaftportions (54 a, 54 b) such that the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) movetoward the other side in the vehicle width direction (i.e., in theclosing direction of the door 108 and the closing direction of the door109). Also, at this time, the doors (108, 109) move similarly to theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b). In other words, the doors (108, 109)linearly move in the closing directions from fully-opened positions, andare also drawn inward in the vehicle width direction in the vicinity ofthe closed positions and transition to the closed positions. Thus, theplugging operation toward the inside in the vehicle width direction bythe plugging mechanism is finished.

Also, upon the plugging operation toward the inside in the vehicle widthdirection by the plugging mechanism being finished, the sliding contactportion 38 disposed on the slide rail 39 fixed to the slide base 52 alsomoves toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, together withthe slide base 52. As a result, the roller 42 that was located at theposition of the roller 42 b indicated by a dashed line in FIG. 26 movesto the position of the roller 42 a indicated by a two-dot chain line.Also, at this time, the locking pins (63 a, 63 b) are engagedrespectively with the first engaging portions (71 a, 71 b) of theengaging members (69 a, 69 b) and cause the engaging members (69 a, 69b) to pivot. Thus, the second engaging portions (72 a, 72 b) of theengaging members (69 a, 69 b) are in a state of facing both ends of thelink mechanism 64 in a bent state.

Further, upon the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) pivoting as describedabove, constraint on the link mechanism 64 by the outer peripheralportions (74 a, 74 b) of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) is released.For this reason, the link 64 a pivots with a driving force that is inputfrom the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 via the outputroller 22 a, and the link mechanism 64 deforms from a bent state into alinear state. Then, both ends of the link mechanism 64 are engaged withthe second engaging portions (72 a, 72 b) of the engaging members (69 a,69 b).

Also, at this time, the transmission member 40 moves parallel to theclosing direction of the door 108 in the vehicle front-rear directionwith a driving force that is input from the carrier 20 c via the outputroller shaft 22 b, and the slide block 41 also moves parallel to theclosing direction of the door 108 on the slide rail 39. Then, the roller42 moves from the position of the roller 42 a indicated by a two-dotchain line in FIG. 26 up to the position where it comes into contactwith the first face 36 a of the fixed lock portion 62. Thus, the stateof the doors (108, 109) being locked by the locking mechanism 57 isensured, and the plugging operation toward the outside in the vehiclewidth direction by the plugging mechanism is disabled.

Note that when the aforementioned opening operation and closingoperation of the doors (108, 109) are performed, the pivoting arms 58(58 a, 58 b) provided in the upper part and the lower part of theentrance 106 on both sides thereof in the vehicle front-rear directionpivot. Thus, the movement of the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle widthdirection is also guided by the pivoting arms 58 (58 a, 58 b), and asmooth plugging operation of the doors (108, 109) is performed.

Regarding Effect of Plug Door Device

With the above-described plug door device 2, the guide portions 55 (55a, 55 b) come into contact with the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) andpivot, thereby guiding the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) in the vehiclewidth direction. For this reason, the operation of the guide portions 55(55 a, 55 b) is an operation of following the movement of the doors(108, 109) in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, thespace occupied by the guide portions 55 (55 a, 55 b) in the vehiclewidth direction can be further reduced in accordance with the state ofmovement of the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle width direction. As aresult, a smaller plug door device 2 can be realized that can performthe opening/closing operation and the plugging operation using the doordrive mechanism 53 for causing a force in the vehicle front-reardirection to act on the doors (108, 109). Also, since the door drivemechanism 53 moves the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle front-reardirection via the double-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b) each constituted bythe two racks (16 a, 16 b) and the pinion 16 c, the operating stroke ofthe door drive mechanism 53 can be doubled to efficiently move the doors(108, 109). As a result, an even smaller plug door device 2 that is evensmaller also in the vehicle front-rear direction can be realized.

Further, with the plug door device 2, the movable lock portion 37 comesinto contact with the fixed lock portion 62 fixed on the fixed base 51side, on the inside in the vehicle width direction, and movement of thedoors (108, 109) in a closed state outward in the vehicle widthdirection is restricted. For this reason, when the doors (108, 109) arein a closed state, the doors (108, 109) are more reliably constrainedwithout rattling such that they do not move outward in the vehicle widthdirection. Accordingly, the doors (108, 109) in a closed state can belocked without rattling.

Accordingly, according to the present embodiment, a smaller plug doordevice 2 can be realized that can perform the opening/closing operationand the plugging operation using the door drive mechanism 53 for causinga force in the vehicle front-rear direction to act on the doors (108,109), and furthermore, a plug door device 2 that can lock the doors(108, 109) in a closed state without rattling can be provided.

Also, with the plug door device 2, the door drive mechanism isconstituted by the drive portion 53 a having the direct-drive brushlesselectric motor 21 and the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b for moving thedoors (108, 109) via the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b) as a result ofoperating with a driving force from the drive portion 53 a. For thisreason, with the pair of drive racks (60 a, 60 b) in the rack-and-pinionmechanism 53 b that move in opposite directions, two-panel sliding doorsprovided as the pair of doors (108, 109) installed at the entrance 106can be simultaneously driven to open/close. Accordingly, one brushlesselectric motor 21 enables the operation of opening/closing the two-panelsliding doors (108, 109) to be performed. Also, with the plug doordevice 2, the drive portion 53 a is constituted by the direct-drivebrushless electric motor 21 and the planet gear mechanism 20. Further, adriving force of the brushless electric motor 21 is input to one of thesun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ring gear 20 d in the planetgear mechanism 20, a driving force from another one thereof is output tothe rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b, and a driving force from theremaining one thereof is output to the locking mechanism 57. For thisreason, one brushless electric motor 21 enables the operation ofopening/closing the two-panel sliding doors (108, 109), the pluggingoperation, and the operation of locking the doors (108, 109) by thelocking mechanism 57 to be performed, and a compact and efficient driveportion 53 a can be realized.

Third Embodiment

FIG. 27 is a schematic view showing an overall plug door device 3according to a third embodiment of the present invention. The plug doordevice 3 shown in FIG. 27 is applied to two-panel sliding doors, whichare constituted by two doors. Note that FIG. 27 is a schematic view asviewed from the inside of a vehicle, and shows a state where the plugdoor device 3 is installed together with doors (108, 109) at an entrance106 of the vehicle. FIG. 28 is a schematic view showing a cross-section,as viewed from the position indicated by arrows of line J-J in FIG. 27.FIG. 29 is a schematic view serving as a front view of the plug doordevice 3 and enlarges the upper part of the door 108 in FIG. 27. Notethat FIGS. 27 and 29 omit the drawing of a cover disposed on the insidethe vehicle when the plug door device 3 is housed in the vehicle in theupper part of the entrance 106. FIG. 30 is a schematic view serving as aplan view of the plug door device 3 shown in FIG. 29, which is showntogether with the doors (108, 109). FIG. 31 is an enlarged diagram of apart of FIG. 29. FIG. 32 is a schematic view serving as a side view ofthe plug door device 3 and enlarges the upper part of the door (108,109) in FIG. 28.

Note that although the third embodiment will describe an example of theplug door device applied to two-panel sliding doors constituted by twodoors, this need not be the case, and the present invention may beapplied to a one-panel sliding door constituted by one door. In thedescription of the third embodiment, the constituents that areconfigured similarly to those in the first embodiment and the secondembodiment will be given the same reference numerals in the drawings.

Regarding Overall Configuration

As shown in FIG. 27, a vehicle side wall 105 is provided with theentrance 106. Note that FIG. 27 shows a state where the doors (108, 109)are in a closed state, and indicates the entrance 106 with broken lines.A frame 107 is fixed above of the entrance 106 so as to extend in avehicle front-rear direction. Here, the “vehicle front-rear direction”is a direction parallel to a vehicle travelling direction, and is thedirection indicated by double arrow B in FIG. 27. Note that the vehicleside wall 105 and the frame 107 constitute a part of the vehicle body.

Also, two doors (108, 109) are installed so as to cover the entrance106. The two doors (108, 109) are two-panel sliding doors, and areopened/closed by the plug door device 3. The doors (108, 109) are formedso as to gradually curve and project at its lower side, outward in awidth direction of the vehicle (see FIG. 28). Here, the “width directionof the vehicle” (hereinafter referred to also as the “vehicle widthdirection”) is a direction vertical to the vehicle front-rear directionand up-down direction, and is a direction indicated by double arrow C inFIG. 28. Note that the doors (108, 109) are configured to substantiallyseal the entrance 106 at a closed position (position shown in FIGS. 27and 28), which is the position where the doors (108, 109) are in aclosed state.

The plug door device 3 shown in FIGS. 27 to 32 is installed at theentrance 106 of the vehicle, and is provided as a device for performingan operation of opening/closing the doors (108, 109) and a pluggingoperation of moving the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle width direction.This plug door device 3 is configured to include a fixed base 51, aslide base 52, a door drive mechanism 53 for driving two-panel slidingdoors (108, 109) so as to move the doors (108, 109) in the vehiclefront-rear direction, shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) that are driven bythe door drive mechanism 53 in the vehicle front-rear direction, guideportions 55 (55 a, 55 b) for guiding the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b),double-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b), a locking mechanism 57, pivoting armmechanisms 75 (75 a, 75 b), and the like.

The fixed base 51 is fixed to a bracket 107 a, which is a part of theframe 107 that constitute the vehicle body. The fixed base 51 is therebyfixed so as not to move relatively to the vehicle body. Also, the fixedbase 51 is provided with a flat plate-like portion 51 a that ishorizontally installed, and a pair of slide support portions (51 b, 51b) that are provided on both sides in the vehicle front-rear directionof the plate-like portion 51 a. The slide support portions 51 b areprovided as block-like members installed so as to extend in the vehiclewidth direction. A rail member 51 c for supporting the slide base 52slidably in the vehicle width direction is fixed to each slide supportportion 51 b.

The slide base 52 shown in FIGS. 29 and 32 is installed on the fixedbase 51 under it, slidably in the vehicle width direction relative tothe fixed base 51. The slide base 52 is provided with a main body 52 ainstalled so as to horizontally extend in a flat manner, bracketportions 52 b, and wheel portions 52 c.

The bracket portions 52 b are each provided as a portion that extends soas to bend downward relative to the main body 52 a at an end on theoutside (door 108, 109 side) in the vehicle width direction of the mainbody 52 a, and thereafter, horizontally bend toward the outside in thevehicle width direction. A plurality of bracket portions 52 b areprovided so as to extend from a plurality of positions in the vehiclefront-rear direction with respect to the main body 52 a. Thedouble-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b), which will be described later, areinstalled on the respective bracket portions 52 b. The wheel portions 52c are installed on both sides in the vehicle front-rear direction of themain body 52 a, and are each configured to include a wheel that rolls onthe rail member 51 c extending in the vehicle width direction. The slidebase 52 is thereby configured to be slidable in the vehicle widthdirection relative to the fixed base 51.

Regarding Door Drive Mechanism and Double-Speed Rail

The door drive mechanism 53 shown in FIGS. 29 to 32 are installed on themain body 52 a of the slide base 52 and is provided as a mechanism formoving the two doors (108, 109) in the vehicle front-rear direction viathe connecting portion 59. Note that in the present embodiment, the doordrive mechanism 53 is installed at the lower side of the main body 52 a.Further, the door drive mechanism 53 is configured to include a driveportion 53 a including a direct-drive brushless electric motor 21, arack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b, and the like.

The rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b is provided as a mechanism for movingthe connecting portion 59 as a result of receiving an input of a drivingforce from the drive portion 53 a. The rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b isconfigured to include two facing drive racks 60 (60 a, 60 b) and a drivepinion 61. The two facing drive racks 60 (60 a, 60 b) include an outerdrive rack 60 a disposed outside in the vehicle width direction and aninner drive rack 60 b disposed on the inside in the vehicle widthdirection. The outer drive rack 60 a and the inner drive rack 60 b aredisposed so as to extend parallel to each other in the vehiclefront-rear direction.

The drive pinion 61 is disposed between the two drive racks (60 a, 60b), and are disposed so as to mesh with teeth provided on the facingsides of the two drive racks (60 a, 60 b). Further, the drive pinion 61is disposed such that its rotary axis extends in a vertical direction.Also, the drive pinion 61 is fixed concentrically with a ring gear 20 din a planet gear mechanism 20 in the drive portion 53 a. For thisreason, the drive pinion 61 is configured to rotate with the rotation ofthe ring gear 20 d around the same rotary axis. As a result of the drivepinion 61 rotating together with the ring gear 20 d, the two drive racks(60 a, 60 b) that mesh with the drive pinion 61 moves in oppositedirections in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Also, the drive portion 53 a and the drive pinion 61 in therack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b are disposed at the central part in thevehicle front-rear direction of the slide base 52. Further, theconnecting portion 59 is attached to the drive racks 60 (60 a, 60 b) inthe rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b.

The drive portion 53 a is configured to include the brushless electricmotor 21 that is provided as a driving source and constitutes anelectric motor in the present embodiment, as well as a planet gearmechanism 20 to which a driving force from the brushless electric motor21 is input. The planet gear mechanism 20 is configured, similarly tothat in the first embodiment, to include a sun gear 20 a, a plurality ofplanet gears 20 b, a carrier 20 c, a ring gear 20 d, and the like.

A driving force from the brushless electric motor 21 is input to the sungear 20 a. The planet gears 20 b are disposed around the sun gear 20 a,and are provided so as to mesh with the sun gear 20 a and revolve aroundthe sun gear 20 a while rotating. The carrier 20 c is provided as aframe member for rotatably supporting each planet gear 20 b and alsorevolvably supporting each planet gear 20 b. The ring gear 20 d isprovided as a ring-like gear having an inner-circumferential internalgear that meshes with the planet gears 20 b. As described above, thedrive pinion 61 in the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b is fixed to thering gear 20 d.

Also, a part of the outer-circumferential portion of the carrier 20 c isconnected to a lock output portion 22. The lock output portion 22 isprovided as a mechanism for inputting a driving force that is outputfrom the carrier 20 c to the locking mechanism 57 as a result of thecarrier 20 c swinging around the axis of the sun gear 20 a. The lockoutput portion 22 is configured to convert the direction in which adriving force output as a result of the swinging of the carrier 20 cacts, and output the converted driving force as a driving force in alinear direction parallel to the vehicle front-rear direction. Also, anoutput roller 22 a is provided at a tip portion of the lock outputportion 22 from which the driving force is output. Also, the lock outputportion 22 is provided with an output roller shaft 22 b for rotatablysupporting the output roller 22 a, and a driving force of the carrier 20c is input to a transmission member 40 in the locking mechanism 57 viathe output roller shaft 22 b.

Note that although the present embodiment described an exemplary mode inwhich the driving force from the direct-drive brushless electric motor21 is input to the sun gear 20 a, the driving force output from the ringgear 20 d is input to the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b, and thedriving force output from the carrier 20 c is input to the lockingmechanism 57, this need not be the case. The configuration need only besuch that the driving force from the brushless electric motor 21 isinput to one of the sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ring gear20 d, the driving force output from one of the sun gear 20 a, thecarrier 20 c, and the ring gear 20 d is input to the rack-and-pinionmechanism 53 b, and the driving force output from the remaining one ofthe sun gear 20 a, the carrier 20 c, and the ring gear 20 d is input tothe locking mechanism 57.

The connecting portion 59 that is attached to the drive racks 60 (60 a,60 b) and transmits a driving force from the door drive mechanism 53include a connecting portion 59 a attached to the outer drive rack 60 aand a connecting portion 59 b attached to the inner drive rack 60 b.Both the connecting portion 59 a and the connecting portion 59 b areconstituted by plate-like members that are formed in a bent manner. Theconnecting portion 59 a is fixed to the outer drive rack 60 a at its endon the door 108 side in the vehicle front-rear direction. The connectingportion 59 b is fixed to the inner drive rack 60 b at its end on thedoor 109 side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

The connecting portion 59 a is configured to horizontally extend towardthe door 108 side from the portion fixed to the outer drive rack 60 a,and then bend and extend upward. Then, the connecting portion 59 a isfixed, at an end of the upward-extending portion, to a support rail 16 dof the double-speed rail 56 a of the double-speed rails 56 that isdisposed on the door 108 side in the vehicle front-rear direction. Theconnecting portion 59 b is configured to horizontally extend toward thedoor 108 side from the portion fixed to the inner drive rack 60 b, andthen bend and extend upward. Then, the connecting portion 59 b is fixed,at an end of the upward-extending portion, to a support rail 16 d of thedouble-speed rail 56 b of the double-speed rails 56 that is disposed onthe door 109 side in the vehicle front-rear direction.

Also, the connecting portion 59 a is provided with a protruding endportion that partially bends from the end of the upward-extendingportion and horizontally protrudes and extends. This protruding endportion is provided with the shaft portion 54 a that protrudes in acantilevered manner so as to extend upward. Note that the shaft portion54 a is provided with a shaft portion roller 54 c that is rotatablyattached to the shaft body of the shaft portion 54 a fixed to theprotruding end portion.

Also, the connecting portion 59 b is provided with a protruding endportion that partially bends from the end of the upward-extendingportion and horizontally protrudes and extends. This protruding endportion is provided with the shaft portion 54 b that protrudes in acantilevered manner so as to extend upward. Note that the shaft portion54 b is provided with a shaft portion roller 54 c that is rotatablyattached to the shaft body of the shaft portion 54 b fixed to theprotruding end portion.

The double-speed rails 56 (56 a, 56 b) shown in FIGS. 29 to 32 include adouble-speed rail 56 a disposed on the door 108 side in the vehiclefront-rear direction and a double-speed rail 56 b disposed on the door109 side in the vehicle front-rear direction. The double-speed rail 56 aand the double-speed rail 56 b are provided so as to extend in thevehicle front-rear direction. Each double-speed rail (56 a, 56 b) isconfigured to include two facing racks (16 a, 16 b), a pinion 16 c, anda support rail 16 d. The two facing racks (16 a, 16 b) in eachdouble-speed rail (56 a, 56 b) include an upper rack 16 a disposed atthe upper side and a lower rack 16 b disposed at the lower side. Theupper rack 16 a and the lower rack 16 b are disposed so as to extendparallel to each other in the vehicle front-rear direction.

The pinion 16 c in each double-speed rail (56 a, 56 b) is disposedbetween the two racks (16 a, 16 b), and is disposed so as to mesh withteeth provided on the racks (16 a, 16 b). Further, in each double-speedrail (56 a, 56 b), the pinion 16 c is supported rotatably relative tothe support rail 16 d.

The pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 a is connected to theconnecting portion 59 a side. In other words, the pinion 16 c in thedouble-speed rail 56 a is connected to the connecting portion 59 a viathe support rail 16 d in the double-speed rail 56 a. For this reason,the connecting portion 59 a fixed to the drive rack 60 a and the supportrail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 a areconnected to each other such that relative positions thereof do notchange.

On the other hand, the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 b isconnected to the connecting portion 59 b side. In other words, thepinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 b is connected to the connectingportion 59 b via the support rail 16 d in the double-speed rail 56 b.For this reason, the connecting portion 59 b fixed to the drive rack 60b and the support rail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail56 b are connected to each other such that relative positions thereof donot change.

Also, in each double-speed rail (56 a, 56 b), the support rail 16 d forrotatably supporting the pinion 16 c is configured to support the upperrack 16 a and the lower rack 16 b in a state of sandwiching them fromboth sides in the vehicle width direction. Note that the support rail 16d supports the upper rack 16 a and the lower rack 16 b slidably in thevehicle front-rear direction.

Also, in the double-speed rail 56 a, the lower rack 16 b, which is oneof the two racks (16 a, 16 b), is fixed and connected to the bracketportion 52 b of the slide base 52, and the other rack, namely the upperrack 16 a is connected to the door 108 side. Note that the upper rack 16a is connected to the door 108 via a door support member 108 a. The doorsupport member 108 a supports the door 108 in a suspending manner.

Also, in the double-speed rail 56 b, the lower rack 16 b, which is oneof the two racks (16 a, 16 b), is fixed and connected to the bracketportion 52 b of the slide base 52, and the other rack, namely the upperrack 16 a is connected to the door 109 side. Note that the upper rack 16a is connected to the door 109 via a door support member, which isconfigured similarly to the door support member 108 a. This door supportmember supports the door 109 in a suspending manner.

Upon the drive pinion 61 in the door drive mechanism 53 being driven,the support rail 16 d and the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 amove together with the connecting portion 59 a fixed to the drive rack60 a in the vehicle front-rear direction. The pinion 16 c thereby movestoward one side in the vehicle front-rear direction while meshing withthe lower rack 16 b fixed to the slide base 52. Then, relative to thismoving pinion 16 c, the upper rack 16 a that meshes with the pinion 16 cmoves toward the same side in the vehicle front-rear direction. For thisreason, the upper rack 16 a moves relative to the lower rack 16 b at aspeed that is double the moving speed of the pinion 16 c. The amount ofmovement of the upper rack 16 a relative to the lower rack 16 b isdouble the amount of movement of the pinion 16 c relative to the lowerrack 16 b, and the direction of the movement is the same. The door 108connected to the upper rack 16 a via the door support member 108 a willalso move at the same speed as that of the upper rack 16 a. Then, thedoor 108 moves toward one side in the vehicle front-rear directionrelative to the slide base 52 to which the lower rack 16 b is connected.

Also, upon the drive pinion 61 being driven, the support rail 16 d andthe pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 b also move together withthe connecting portion 59 b fixed to the drive rack 60 b in the vehiclefront-rear direction at the same timing as the aforementioned operationtiming of the double-speed rail 56 a. At this time, the drive rack 60 bmoves in an opposite direction that of to the drive rack 60 a, and thepinion 16 c of the double-speed rail 56 b moves in an opposite directionto that of the pinion 16 c in the double-speed rail 56 a. Further, theupper rack 16 a in the double-speed rail 56 b also moves relative to thelower rack 16 b at a speed that is double the moving speed of the pinion16 c by a distance that is double the moving distance of the pinion 16c. As a result, the door 109 connected to the upper rack 16 a via thedoor support member moves toward the other side in the vehiclefront-rear direction, relative to the slide base 52 to which the lowerrack 16 b of the double-speed rail 56 b is connected. In other words,the door 109 moves in the direction opposite to the moving direction ofthe door 108 in the vehicle front-rear direction. For this reason, theplug door device 3 is configured such that the two-panel sliding doors(108, 109) are drive to symmetrically open/close.

Regarding Plugging Mechanism

In the plug door device 3, the plugging mechanism for performing theplugging operation of moving the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle widthdirection is configured to include the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b),the guide portions 55 (55 a, 55 b), and roller guides (23, 23). Notethat the plugging mechanism for performing the plugging operation on thedoor 108 side is constituted by the shaft portion 54 a, the guideportion 55 a, and the roller guide 23, and the plugging mechanism forperforming the plugging operation of the door 109 side is constituted bythe shaft portion 54 b, the guide portion 55 b, and the roller guide 23.

The plugging mechanism for performing the plugging operation on the door108 side and the plugging mechanism for performing the pluggingoperation on the door 109 side are configured in a similar manner. Theguide portion 55 a in the plugging mechanism on the door 108 side isprovided so as to guide the shaft portion 54 a provided at theprotruding end portion of the connecting portion 59 a. Also, the guideportion 55 b in the plugging mechanism on the door 109 side is providedso as to guide the shaft portion 54 b provided in the protruding endportion of the connecting portion 59 b.

Since the plugging mechanism on the door 108 side and the pluggingmechanism on the door 109 side are configured in a similar manner, theconfiguration of the plugging mechanism on the door 108 side will bedescribed below, and the description of the configuration of theplugging mechanism on the door 109 side will be omitted. Note that thedisposition and configuration in the vehicle front-rear direction of theconstituent elements of the plugging mechanism on the door 108 side areset so as to be opposite to those of the plugging mechanism on the door109 side. In other words, the plugging mechanism on the door 109 side isset such that the disposition and configuration of the constituentelements in the vehicle front-rear direction and in the vehicle widthdirection are in a state of disposition in line symmetry with respect tothe plugging mechanism on the door 108 side about a virtual line thatpasses through the central position in the vehicle front-rear directionof the entrance 106 and horizontally extends in the vehicle widthdirection.

FIG. 33 is a plan view showing the plugging mechanism on the door 108side. FIG. 34 is a diagram including a partial cross-section of theplugging mechanism on the door 108 side, as viewed from the positionindicated by an arrow of line D-D in FIG. 33. FIG. 35 is a side view ofthe plugging mechanism on the door 108 side, as viewed in the directionindicated by an arrow of line E in FIG. 33. FIG. 36 is a back view ofthe plugging mechanism on the door 108 side including a partialcross-section as viewed in the direction indicated by an arrow of line Fin FIG. 33. FIG. 37 is a plan view for illustrating an operation of theplugging mechanism on the door 108 side. Note that FIGS. 34 to 36 showenlarged parts, with respect to FIGS. 33 to 37. Also, FIGS. 33 to 36show a state of the plugging mechanism where the door 108 is at theclosed position. On the other hand, FIG. 37 shows a state immediatelyafter the plugging operation is finished when the door 108 opens fromthe closed position.

The plugging mechanism (shaft portion 54 a, guide portion 55 a, rollerguide 23) shown in FIGS. 29 and 31 to 37 are disposed between the fixedbase 51 and the slide base 52. The shaft portion 54 a is provided at theprotruding end portion of the connecting portion 59 a, as mentionedabove. The roller guide 23 is fixed at the side of the lower face of theplate-like portion 51 a of the fixed base 51. The guide portion 55 a isconfigured to include a first link 24 and a second link 25, and isinstalled on the lower side of the fixed base 51. The guide portion 55 ais rotatably installed, at the first link 24 thereof, on the fixed base51.

The first link 24 is a substantially rectangular plate-like member, andone end side thereof is provided pivotably relative to the fixed base51. Specifically, the first link 24 is provided pivotably around a firstpivoting shaft 26 that is disposed in a substantially verticaldirection. Also, a first dent portion 24 a capable of housing the shaftportion roller 54 c of the shaft portion 54 a is formed in the peripheryon the other end side of the first link 24.

The second link 25 is a plate-like member and is pivotably provided onthe first link 24. Specifically, the second link 25 is providedpivotably around a second pivoting shaft 27 that is provided in thevicinity of the first dent portion 24 a of the first link 24 and isdisposed in a substantially vertical direction. Also, a second dentportion 25 a capable of housing the shaft portion roller 54 c of theshaft portion 54 a is formed in the periphery of the second link 25.Also, the second link 25 is provided with a guide portion roller 28 thatis attached rotatably around a vertical axis. The guide portion roller28 is attached rotatably relative to a rotary shaft 29 that protrudesupward from the second link 25, and is disposed at substantially thesame height as that of the roller guide 23 fixed to the fixed base 11.

When the door 108 is at the closed position, as shown in FIG. 33, theperiphery of the shaft portion 54 a is surrounded by the first dentportion 24 a of the first link 24 and the second dent portion 25 a ofthe second link 25, as viewed from above. Specifically, the first link24 is retained such that the opening side of the first dent portion 24 afaces outward in the vehicle width direction, and the second link 25 isretained such that the opening side of the second dent portion 25 afaces toward the direction opposite to the direction toward the firstpivoting shaft 26. Thus, the outward movement of the shaft portion 54 aat the first link 24 from the inside of the first dent portion 24 a isconstrained by the second link 25.

Also, when the door 108 is at the closed position, the guide portionroller 28 of the second link 25 is located outward in the vehicle widthdirection of the second dent portion 25 a. The second pivoting shaft 27of the second link 25 is located inward in the vehicle width directionof the second dent portion 25 a.

Also, a helical spring 30 serving as a biasing means is provided betweenthe first link 24 and the second link 25. One end of the helical spring30 is provided substantially halfway between the second pivoting shaft27 of the second link 25 and the guide portion roller 28, and the otherend is provided at a position near the first pivoting shaft 26 in thefirst link 24. Thus, the second link 25 is biased by the helical spring30 so as to pivot in the direction in which the constraint on the shaftportion 54 a is released (i.e., in the clockwise direction around thesecond pivoting shaft 27, as viewed from above). That is to say, thesecond link 25 is biased by the helical spring 30 in the direction inwhich the guide portion roller 28 approaches the roller guide 23.

The roller guide 23 is provided as a plate-like member. The roller guide23 has, on its side faces, an angled face 23 a for guiding the guideportion roller 28, and a curved face 23 b for guiding the guide portionroller 28 continuously from the angled face 23 a.

The angled face 23 a is provided as a part of the side face of theroller guide 23, and is configured as a flat face formed so as toextends more outward in the vehicle width direction toward the directionin which the door 108 opens (opening direction of the door 108; denotedby arrow G1 in FIG. 33).

The curved face 23 b is provided as a part of the side face of theroller guide 23, and is configured as a curved face that continues fromthe angled face 23 a, curves so as to protrude in a substantiallysemicircular shape, then further curves so as to be dent in asubstantially semicircular shape, and then extends toward the inside inthe vehicle width direction. Note that the curved face 23 b protrudes inthe opening direction at a position close to the outside in the vehiclewidth direction, and is recessed toward the direction in which the door108 closes (i.e., the closing direction of the door 108, which isopposite to the opening direction of the door 108; denoted by arrow G2in FIG. 33) at a position close to the inside in the vehicle widthdirection.

Regarding Pivoting Arm Mechanism

FIG. 38 is an enlarged schematic view of the lower part of the door 108in FIG. 28. The pivoting arm mechanism 75 (75 a, 75 b) shown in FIGS.27, 28, and 38 is disposed on the lower side of the door (108, 109), andis provided as a mechanism for guiding the door (108, 109) in thevehicle width direction so as to assist the plugging operation of thedoor (108, 109) by the plugging mechanism. The pivoting arm mechanism 75(75 a, 75 b) is configured to include a pivoting arm 80 that pivotsbased on a door opening/closing force, which is a force in the directionof the door (108, 109) moving in the opening/closing direction with theoperation of opening/closing the door (108, 109).

The pivoting arm mechanism 75 a is provided as a mechanism for guidingthe door 108 in the vehicle width direction so as to assist the pluggingoperation of the door 108. The pivoting arm mechanism 75 b is providedas a mechanism for guiding the door 109 in the vehicle width directionso as to assist the plugging operation of the door 109. The pivoting armmechanisms (75 a, 75 b) are disposed at the lower side of the entrance106 on both sides thereof in the vehicle front-rear direction. Note thatFIGS. 28 and 38 show the pivoting arm mechanism 75 a, which does notappear when viewed from the position indicated by the arrow of line J-Jin FIG. 27, at the corresponding position in the vehicle front-reardirection with two-dot chain lines.

The pivoting arm mechanism 75 a on the door 108 side and the pivotingarm mechanism 75 b on the door 109 side are configured in the samemanner. Therefore, in the following description, the configuration ofthe pivoting arm mechanism 75 a will be described, and the descriptionof the configuration of the pivoting arm mechanism 75 b will be omitted.Note that the disposition and configuration in the vehicle front-reardirection of the constituent elements of the pivoting arm mechanism 75 aon the door 108 side are set so as to be opposite to those of thepivoting arm mechanism 75 b on the door 109 side. In other words, thepivoting arm mechanism 75 b is set such that the disposition andconfiguration of the constituent elements in the vehicle front-reardirection and in the vehicle width direction are in a state ofdisposition in line symmetry with respect to the pivoting arm mechanism75 a side about a virtual line that passes through the central positionin the vehicle front-rear direction of the entrance 106 and horizontallyextends in the vehicle width direction.

FIG. 39 is a plan view showing the pivoting arm mechanism 75 a. FIG. 40is a front view of the pivoting arm mechanism 75 a shown in FIG. 39including a partial cross-section, as viewed from the position indicatedby the arrow of line M-M. FIG. 41 is a side view of the pivoting armmechanism 75 a. As shown in FIGS. 38 to 41, the pivoting arm mechanism75 a is configured to include a rotational force generating portion 76,a follower rotational member 77, a guiding curved face member 78, adoor-side support portion 79, a pivoting arm 80, a restricting member81, an arm biasing spring 82, an intermediate gear 83, an assist roller84, and the like.

The rotational force generating portion 76 is provided as a mechanismfor generating a rotational force by acquiring, the aforementioned dooropening/closing force (a force in the moving direction of the door 108that moves in the opening/closing direction) from the door 108. Further,the rotational force generating portion 76 is configured to include adriving force acquiring portion 76 a and a drive rotational member 76 b.

The driving force acquiring portion 76 a is provided as a mechanism foracquiring the door opening/closing force as a driving force from thedoor 108. Meanwhile, the drive rotational member 76 b is provided as amember for generating a rotational force with the driving force acquiredby the driving force acquiring portion 76 a. In the present embodiment,the driving force acquiring portion 76 a is configured to include adoor-side fixed rack 85 fixed to the inside in the vehicle widthdirection of the door 108, and an external gear 86 that is provided onthe outer circumference of the drive rotational member 76 b and mesheswith the teeth of the door-side fixed rack 85. Note that the driverotational member 76 b having the external gear 86 provided on its outercircumference is constituted as a spur gear. Also, the door-side fixedrack 85 is provided in the vehicle front-rear direction, not across thefull length of the door 108 but along a part of the door 108. The lengthof the door-side fixed rack 85 in the vehicle front-rear direction isset such that the door-side fixed rack 85 meshes with the external gear86 during the plugging operation of the door 108 when the door 108 movesin the opening direction from the closed position, and the meshing withthe external gear 86 is released when the plugging operation ends.

The follower rotational member 77 is provided as a spur gear thatrotates as a result of the rotational force generated by the driverotational member 76 b in the rotational force generating portion 76being transmitted the follower rotational member 77 via the intermediategear 83. Note that the intermediate gear 83 is provided as a spur gearand disposed so as to mesh with the drive rotational member 76 b and thefollower rotational member 77. For this reason, the door-side fixed rack85 moves with the movement of the door 108 in the opening/closingdirection, the drive rotational member 76 b that meshes with thedoor-side fixed rack 85 rotates with the movement of the door-side fixedrack 85, and further, the intermediate gear 83 that meshes with thedrive rotational member 76 b rotates. Then, the follower rotationalmember 77 that meshes with the intermediate gear 83 rotates with therotation of the intermediate gear 83.

The guiding curved face member 78 is configured as a member providedwith a guiding curved face portion 78 a that comes into contact with thefollower rotational member 77 and moves the follower rotational member77 along an arc-like curved face with the rotation of the followerrotational member 77. Further, the guiding curved face member 78 isfixed to a vehicle-side bracket 87 attached on the side of the vehicleside wall 105, which is the vehicle body, with bolts. Also, the guidingcurved face member 78 is provided with a portion in which the guidingcurved face portion 78 a is formed on the side opposite to an end sidethat is fixed to the vehicle-side bracket 87. Note that the portion inwhich the guiding curved face portion 78 a is formed is provided as afan-like portion having a peripheral portion extending in an arc and apair of peripheral portions radially extending on both sides of theperipheral portion extending in an arc. Further, the guiding curved faceportion 78 a has an external gear that is formed to be disposed alongthe arc-like curved face and mesh with the outer-circumferential teethof the follower rotational member 77. As a result of the followerrotational member 77 thereby rotating while meshing with the externalgear of the guiding curved face portion 78 a, the follower rotationalmember 77 moves along the arc-like curved face as shown by dashed-linedouble arrow N in FIG. 39.

The pivoting arm 80 is disposed on the inside in the vehicle widthdirection of the door 108 in the vicinity of the door-side fixed rack85, and is provided pivotably relative to the guiding curved face member78 via the rotary shaft 88. This pivoting arm 80 is configured toinclude a pair of flat-plate portions that horizontally extend parallelto each other, and a side-wall portion for fixing and connecting thepair of flat-plate portions. Further, the pivoting arm 80 is configuredto rotatably retain the drive rotational member 76 b in the rotationalforce generating portion 76 and also rotatably retain the intermediategear 83 and the follower rotational member 77, on the pair of flat-plateportions disposed above and below.

The restricting member 81 is provided farther in the opening direction,which is the direction in which the door 108 opens, than the pivotingarm 80 is, and is provided as a stopper for restricting the pivotingrange of the pivoting arm 80 as a result of coming into contact with thepivoting arm 80 when the door 108 opens. Further, the restricting member81 is configured to include a stopper bracket 81 a and a stopper rubber81 b.

The stopper bracket 81 a is provided as a member fixed to the guidingcurved face member 78 in a cantilevered manner, and is disposed so as toprotrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the guiding curvedface member 78. The stopper rubber 81 b is provided as a rubber memberfixed to the stopper bracket 81 a. This stopper rubber 81 b is providedas a portion that is fixed to the stopper bracket 81 a at a middleportion in the protruding direction of the stopper bracket 81 a, andcomes into contact with the pivoting arm 80. Note that FIG. 39indicates, with two-dot chain lines, a state where the pivoting arm 80that rotatably retains the drive rotational member 76 b, theintermediate gear 83, and the follower rotational member 77 pivots withthe movement of the door 108 in the opening direction and comes intocontact with the stopper rubber 81 b, and its pivoting range isrestricted.

The arm biasing spring 82 is provided as a spring member capable ofbiasing the pivoting arm 80 so as to retain the position of the pivotingarm 80 at the position where the pivoting arm 80 comes into contact withthe restricting member 81 (i.e., the position indicated by two-dot chainlines in FIG. 39). The arm biasing spring 82 is provided as a coilspring.

Also, an end of the arm biasing spring 82 at one end side thereof isrotatably attached to a pin 89 that is installed so as to extendvertically and concentrically with the rotary axis of the intermediategear 83. On the other hand, an end of the arm biasing spring 82 at theother end side thereof is rotatably attached to a pin 90 that isinstalled so as to vertically extend on a spring-support bracket 87 aprovided so as to protrude from the vehicle-side bracket 87. Thus, thearm biasing spring 82 is provided so as to be able to bias the pin 89side, which is the end side on the one end side, in a tensile directionrelative to the pin 90 side, which is the end on the other end side.

Also, the pin 90 for rotatably supporting the end on the other end sideof the arm biasing spring 82 is disposed on the inside in the vehiclewidth direction with respect to the rotary shaft 88 of the pivoting arm80 and the restricting member 81, and is disposed on the side oppositeto the pivoting arm 80 in the vehicle front-rear direction. Further, thearm biasing spring 82 is disposed so as to pass above the rotary shaft88 when the door 108 moves from a state at the closed position to astate where the plugging operation is finished and the pivoting arm 80pivots. For this reason, in the state where the plugging operation ofthe door 108 is finished and the pivoting arm 80 is in contact with therestricting member 81, the arm biasing spring 82 is configured to biasthe pivoting arm 80 in the direction in which the pivoting arm 80 isbrought into contact with the restricting member 81.

The door-side support portion 79 is provided close to the door 108 sidethan the rotational force generating portion 76 is, and is configured toinclude a pair of support rollers (79 a, 79 a) and a support frame 79 bfor rotatably supporting the pair of support rollers (79 a, 79 a).Further, the door-side support portion 79 is disposed such that the pairof rollers (79 a, 79 a) abut a door rail 91, which is a part of the door108, on the side opposite to the side in the vehicle width directionwhere the rotational force generating portion 76 is disposed (i.e., onthe inside in the vehicle width direction relative to the door rail 91).The door-side support portion 79 is thereby configured to support thedoor rail 91 serving as a part of the door 108.

Note that the door rail 91 is configured as a rail portion that isprovided on the lower side of the door 108 on the inside in the vehiclewidth direction and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. Also,the door rail 91 is provided so as to also demarcate, on the door 108, agroove that is open downward and extends in the vehicle front-reardirection. Further, the pair of support rollers (79 a, 79 a) that arerotatably supported via the respective vertical rotary axes relative tothe support frame 79 b are disposed within the aforementioned groove.Also, the support rollers 79 a are in contact with the door rail 91toward the inside in the vehicle width direction, and are disposedrollably relative to the door rail 91.

Also, the assist roller 84 that is supported rotatably relative to thepivoting arm 80 and installed at a height position corresponding to thepair of support rollers (79 a, 79 a) is disposed inward of the door rail91 in the vehicle width direction. The assist roller 84 is disposed withits rotary axis being concentric with the rotary axis of the driverotational member 76 b, and is disposed below the drive rotationalmember 76 b. Further, the assist roller 84 is disposed rollably relativeto the door rail 91, and is provided so as to sandwich the door rail 91between the assist roller 84 and the pair of support rollers (79 a, 79a) from both sides in the vehicle width direction to support the doorrail 91.

Note that the support frame 79 b for rotatably supporting the pair ofsupport rollers (79 a, 79 a) is disposed so as to extend below the doorrail 91 in the vehicle width direction. Further, the support frame 79 bis rotatably supports the pair of support rollers (79 a, 79 a) at an endon the outside in the vehicle width direction. Meanwhile, an inner endin the vehicle width direction of the support frame 79 b is attachedrotatably relative to the rotary axis of the assist roller 84. For thisreason, when the pivoting arm 80 pivots with the movement of the door108, the support frame 79 b pivots relative to the pivoting arm 80, andthe door rail 91 is supported by the pair of support rollers (79 a, 79a) and the assist roller 84 that roll relative to the door rail 91.

Regarding Locking Mechanism

The locking mechanism 57 shown in FIGS. 29, 31, and 32 are provided as amechanism capable of locking the doors (108, 109) so as to limit theirmovement at the closed positions of the doors (108, 109). The lockingmechanism 57 is configured to include locking pins 63 (63 a, 63 b), alink mechanism 64, a link retaining mechanism 65, a fixed lock portion62, and a movable lock portion 37.

The locking pins 63 (63 a, 63 b) are provided as pin-like portionsinstalled on arm members (66 a, 66 b) that are fixed to the drive racks60 (60 a, 60 b) or the connecting portions 59 (59 a, 59 b). The armmember 66 a is fixed to the drive rack 60 a or the connecting portion 59a. The arm member 66 b is fixed to the drive rack 60 b or the connectingportion 59 b. The arm members (66 a, 66 b) are provided so as to extendinward in the vehicle width direction from the drive racks 60 (60 a, 60b) or the connecting portions 59 (59 a, 59 b). Further, the arm members(66 a, 66 b) are each provided with a portion that protrudes along thevehicle front-rear direction on its inner end side in the vehicle widthdirection. The portions of the arm members (66 a, 66 b) protruding inthe vehicle front-rear direction are disposed so as to protrude in acantilevered manner from the front side and the rear side of thevehicle, respectively, toward the center in the vehicle front-reardirection of the entrance 106. Further, the locking pins (63 a, 63 b)are fixed respectively to the ends on the tip side of the arm members(66 a, 66 b) that protrude in a cantilevered manner in the vehiclefront-rear direction. Note that the locking pin 63 a is provided so asto protrude outward in the vehicle width direction from the end on thetip side of the arm member 66 a. On the other hand, the locking pin 63 bis provided so as to protrude outward in the vehicle width directionfrom the end on the tip side of the arm member 66 b.

The link mechanism 64 is configured by three links being connected intandem, and is provided as a mechanism capable of deforming in a linearstate and a bent state on a vertical plane. The central link 64 a in thelink mechanism 64 is pivotably supported by a connecting pin 67 a at thecenter, relative to the guide plate 43. Note that the guide plate 43 isprovided as a plate-like member that is fixed to a housing or the likeof the drive portion 53 a installed on the slide base 52. Further, theguide plate 43 has an elongated hole 43 a that is formed below theposition where the aforementioned connecting pin 67 a is attached and inwhich the output roller 22 a is disposed. The output roller 22 a movesin the vehicle front-rear direction by moving along the elongated hole43 a. Further, the output roller 22 a is installed so as to beengageable with the central link 64 a in the link mechanism 64, and thelink mechanism is configured to deform between a linear state and a bentstate with the movement of the output roller 22 a along the elongatedhole 43 a.

The link retaining mechanism 65 is configured to include a pair ofengaging members (69 a, 69 b). The pair of engaging members (69 a, 69 b)are disposed pivotably on a vertical plane symmetrically to the linkmechanism 64 (i.e., to the connecting pin 67 a) in the vicinity of bothends of the link mechanism 64. Further, in a state where the doors (108,109) are at the closed positions, the pair of engaging members (69 a, 69b) are configured to be engaged with both ends of the link mechanism 64in a linear state and also engaged with the locking pins (63 a, 63 b).

Meanwhile, when, in the above-described state, a driving force that isoutput as a result of the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20swinging is output to the output roller 22 a in the lock output portion22, the link mechanism 64 in a linear state deforms into a bent statewith the movement of the output roller 22 a. Thus, the engagementbetween the pair of engaging members (69 a, 69 b) and the link mechanism64 is released. Then, when the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b operateswith a driving force output from the ring gear 20 d in the planet gearmechanism 20 and the arm members (66 a, 66 b) move together with thedrive racks (60 a, 60 b) or the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b), thelocking pins (63 a, 63 b) also move in directions diverging from eachother toward the opening directions of the doors (108, 109).

Since the engagement between the link mechanism 64 and the engagingmembers (69 a, 69 b) is released, upon the locking pins (63 a, 63 b)moving as described above, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) pivot witha biasing force of the biasing spring (not shown), and its engagementwith the locking pins (63 a, 63 b) is released. Note that, in thisstate, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) are configured to constrainlinearly extending movement of the link mechanism 64 with their outerperipheral portions. When the link mechanism 64 is retained in a bentstate by the link retaining mechanism 65, the output roller 22 a isretained at the link 64 a, and the state where an output to the carrier20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 is fixed is maintained.

On the other hand, when the rack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b moves in thedirection opposite to the aforementioned direction, the locking pins (63a, 63 b) move together with the arm members (66 a, 66 b) in directionsin which they approach each other toward the closing directions of thedoors (108, 109). Upon the locking pins (63 a, 63 b) thus moving, thelocking pins (63 a, 63 b) are engaged with the engaging members (69 a,69 b), and the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) pivot in the directionopposite to the biasing direction of the biasing spring (not shown).Then, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) are engageable with the linkmechanism 64. In this state, the carrier 20 c in the planet gearmechanism 20 swings, the output roller 22 a in the lock output portion22 moves in the elongated hole 43 a, and thereby, the link mechanism 64deforms from a bent state into a linear state. Then, both ends of thelink mechanism 64 are engaged with the engaging members (69 a, 69 b).

FIG. 42 is a plan view showing the fixed lock portion 62 and the movablelock portion 37 in the locking mechanism 57. The fixed lock portion 62is configured as a block-like member provided so as to be fixed to thefixed base 51.

The movable lock portion 37 is provided so as to be movable with adriving force that is output from the carrier 20 c in the planet gearmechanism 20 to the locking mechanism 57. The movable lock portion 37 isconfigured to come into contact with the fixed lock portion 62 in a face36 a on the inside in the vehicle width direction at the closed positionof the doors (108, 109). Thus, the locking mechanism 57 is provided soas to restrict movement of the doors (108, 109) outward in the vehiclewidth direction when the doors (108, 109) are in a closed state, as aresult of the movable lock portion 37 coming into contact with the fixedlock portion 62.

Also, the movable lock portion 37 is configured to include a slidingcontact portion 38 capable of coming into contact with the fixed lockportion 36, a slide rail 39, and a transmission member 40. The sliderail 39 is provided as a rail member that is fixed to the slide base 52and extends in the vehicle front-rear direction. Thus, the slide rail 39is configured to restrict the direction of sliding movement of thesliding contact portion 38 to a direction parallel to the vehiclefront-rear direction.

The transmission member 40 is provided as a plate-like member and isdisposed so as to extend in the up-down direction. The transmissionmember 40 is provided as a member for transmitting a driving force thatis output from the carrier 20 c in the planet gear mechanism 20 to thelocking mechanism 57, to the sliding contact portion 38. Note that thetransmission member 40 is fixed to the output roller shaft 22 b in thelock output portion 22 (see FIG. 32). Although the guide plate 43 isomitted in FIG. 32, the output roller shaft 22 b penetrates theelongated hole 43 a in the guide plate 43 and is fixed on the lower endside of the transmission member 40. Also, the output roller 22 a isrotatably supported at a position corresponding to the elongated hole 43a with respect to the output roller shaft 22 b that penetrates theelongated hole 43 a.

As a result thereof, the locking mechanism 57 is configured such that adriving force output from the carrier 20 c via the lock output portion22 is input to the transmission member 40. Further, the transmissionmember 40 moves in the vehicle front-rear direction with movement of theoutput roller 22 b with a driving force from the planet gear mechanism20. Furthermore, with the movement of the transmission member 40, thesliding contact portion 38 whose sliding movement direction isrestricted by the slide rail 39 moves in the vehicle front-reardirection.

Also, the sliding contact portion 38 is configured to include a slideblock 41 and a roller 42. The slide block 41 is provided in a blockshape, and is provided as a member whose sliding movement direction isrestricted to the vehicle front-rear direction by the slide rail 39.Note that the upper end side of the transmission member 40 is fixed tothe slide block 41, and the slide block 41 has a groove that is formedso as to be fitted onto a rail face of the slide rail 39 such that theslide block 41 can slide thereon.

The roller 42 is supported rotatably around a vertical axis relative tothe slide block 41. The outer-circumferential side face of the roller 42is disposed so as to be able to come into contact with the side face ofthe fixed lock portion 36. Note that the side face of the fixed lockportion 62 is provided with a face 36 a with which the roller 42 cancome into contact. The face 36 a is provided as a side face of the fixedlock portion 62 that faces inward in the vehicle width direction. Theface 36 a is formed as a face orthogonal to the vehicle width direction,and is configured to come into contact with the outer circumference ofthe roller 42 in the sliding contact portion 38 of the movable lockportion 37 when the doors (108, 109) are in a closed state, and therebyrestrict movement of the doors (108, 109) to the outside in the vehiclewidth direction.

Regarding Operation of Plug Door Device

Next, the operation of the plug door device 3 will be described. Asshown in FIGS. 27 to 32, when the doors (108, 109) are at the closedpositions, the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) are engaged with the firstlink 24 and the second link 25 in the respective guide portions 55 (55a, 55 b).

Also, in the locking mechanism 57, the roller 42 is in contact with theface 36 a of the fixed lock portion 62 when the doors (108, 109) are atthe closed positions, as shown in FIGS. 31, 32, and 42. For this reason,movement of the slide base 52 outward in the vehicle width direction isrestricted via the locking mechanism 57 and the carrier 20 c of theplanet gear mechanism 20. This state restricts the plugging operationtoward the outside in the vehicle width direction by the pluggingmechanism, and the doors (108, 109) are locked such that their movementis restricted.

As a result of the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21 in the doordrive mechanism 53 being driven in the above-described state at theclosed position, the sun gear 20 a in the planet gear mechanism 20starts to rotate, and the planet gears 20 b around the sun gear 20 astart to revolve around the sun gear 20 a while meshing with the ringgear 20 d. Then, the carrier 20 c swings with the revolution of theplanet gears 20 b, and the output roller 22 a and the output rollershaft 22 b thereby move within the elongated hole 43 a toward one side.

Thus, the transmission member 40 moves together with the output rollershaft 22 b parallel to the opening direction of the door 108 in thevehicle front-rear direction, and the slide block 41 also moves on theslide rail 39 parallel to the opening direction of the door 108.Further, the link mechanism 64 transitions from a linear state where itis engaged at its both ends with the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) to abent state where the engagement at both ends are released.

As a result thereof, the roller 42, which was in contact with the face36 a of the fixed lock portion 62, moves up to the position where theroller 42 is separated from the face 36 a. Then, the locking pins (63 a,63) that were engaged with the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) moves up tothe position where they are separated from the engaging members (69 a,69 b). Note that in FIG. 42, the position of the roller 42 that hasmoved up to the position where it is separated from the face 36 a isshown as the roller 42 a indicated by a two-dot chain line. Thus, thestate of the doors (108, 109) being locked by the locking mechanism 57is released, and the plugging operation toward the outside in thevehicle width direction by the plugging mechanism is enabled.

As described above, after the plugging operation toward the outside inthe vehicle width direction is enabled, drive of the brushless electricmotor 21 in the door drive mechanism 53 is further continued. Thus, adriving force that is output to the drive pinion 61 in therack-and-pinion mechanism 53 b via the ring gear 20 d is furthertransmitted to the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) via the drive racks (60a, 60 b) and the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b). For this reason, theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b), when moving the doors (108, 109) in therespective opening directions, bias the second links 25 in therespective guide portions (55 a, 55 b) in the same direction.

Note that the operation of the plugging mechanism will be describedbelow using an example of the plugging mechanism on the door 108 sideshown in FIGS. 33 to 37, and the description of the operation of theplugging mechanism on the door 109 side, which is similar to that on thedoor 108 side, will be omitted as appropriate. As shown in FIG. 33, thepivoting of the second link 25 relative to the first link 24 (pivotingin the clockwise direction around the second pivoting shaft 27, asviewed from above) is restricted at the position where the guide portionroller 28 comes into contact with the angled face 23 a of the rollerguide 23. Therefore, the second link 25 hardly pivots relative to thefirst link 24, and gives a pivoting force around the first pivotingshaft 26 (a pivoting force in the clockwise direction, as viewed fromabove) to the first link 24 via the second pivoting shaft 27. As aresult, the guide portion roller 28 moves along the angled face 23 a,and the first link 24 pivots around the first pivoting shaft 26 towardthe direction indicated by arrow H in the diagram.

While the first link 24 is pivoting in the clockwise direction as viewedfrom above, the guide portion roller 28 of the second link 25 movesalong the angled face 23 a of the roller guide 23. At this time, sincethe second link 25 is attracted toward the angled face 23 a side by thehelical spring 30, the guide portion roller 28 is not detached from theangled face 23 a. Also, while the guide portion roller 28 is movingalong the angled face 23 a, a state where the first dent portion 24 a ofthe first link 24 and the second dent portion 25 a of the second link 25surround the shaft portion 54 a is maintained.

Upon the shaft portion 54 a further moving in the opening direction inthe above-described state, the position where the guide portion roller28 and the roller guide 23 come into contact moves from the angled face23 a to the curved face 23 b. The guide portion roller 28 is therebydrawn inward in the vehicle width direction along the curved face 23 b,and the second link 25 rotates around the second pivoting shaft 27 inthe clockwise direction relative to the first link 24, as viewed fromabove. In other words, as shown in FIG. 37, constraint on the shaftportion 54 a by the second link 25 is released. Also, at this time, thepivoting of the first link 24 in the arrow H direction is restricted dueto the first link 24 coming into contact with a stopper 44 that is fixedto the roller guide 23.

As described above, the guide portions 55 (55 a, 55 b) are configured asmechanisms that pivot while coming into contact with the shaft portions(54 a, 54 b) and guide the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) such that theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b) move toward one side in the vehicle widthdirection (i.e., in the opening direction of the door 108 and theopening direction of the door 109), when the doors (108, 109) open.

Also, when the guide portions (55 a, 55 b) operate as described above, aforce toward the outside in the vehicle width direction acts on theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b). Therefore, a force toward the outside inthe vehicle width direction also acts on the door drive mechanism 53connected to the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) via the connecting portions(59 a, 59 b), and a force toward the outside in the vehicle widthdirection also acts on the slide base 52 on which the door drivemechanism 53 is installed.

As a result thereof, the door drive mechanism 53 and the slide base 52are guided by the slide support portion 51 b of the fixed base 51 andmove outward in the vehicle width direction. As a result, the pluggingoperation in which the doors (108, 109) move outward in the vehiclewidth direction is performed. Further, as a result of the pluggingoperation being performed, the movement of the doors (108, 109) in theopening directions is enabled.

When the above-described plugging operation to the outside in thevehicle width direction is performed, the pivoting arm mechanisms 75 (75a, 75 b) guide the doors (108, 109) outward in the vehicle widthdirection so as to assist the plugging operation of the doors (108,109). Note that the operation of the pivoting arm mechanism 75 will bedescribed below using an example of the pivoting arm mechanism 75 a onthe door 108 side shown in FIGS. 38 to 41, and the description of theoperation of the pivoting arm mechanism 75 b on the door 109 side, whichis similar to that on the door 108 side, will be omitted as appropriate.

First, when the door 108 is at the closed position, in the pivoting armmechanism 75 a, the external gear 86 on the outer circumference of thedrive rotational member 76 b meshes with the door-side fixed rack 85,and the pivoting arm 80 is located at the position indicated by solidlines in FIG. 39. Upon the plugging operation of the door 108 beingstarted in this state, the drive rotational member 76 b rotates whilemeshing, at its external gear 86, with the door-side fixed rack 85 withthe movement of the door 108, and a driving force serving as a dooropening/closing force is acquired by the driving force acquiring portion76 a. Also, at this time, the pair of support rollers (79 a, 79 a) andthe assist roller 84 roll relative to the door rail 91 while rotating inopposite directions in a state of sandwiching the door rail 91 from bothsides in the vehicle width direction.

Then, the drive rotational member 76 b rotates with the movement of thedoor 108, the intermediate gear 83 that meshes with the drive rotationalmember 76 b rotates, and further, the follower rotational member 77 thatmeshes with the intermediate gear 83 rotates. Also, at this time, thefollower rotational member 77 rotates while meshing with the externalgear of the guiding curved face portion 78 a of the guiding curved facemember 78, and moves along the guiding curved face portion 78 a. Thus,the pivoting arm 80 that rotatably supports the drive rotational member76 b and the follower rotational member 77 and is pivotably supported bythe guiding curved face member 78 pivots outward in the vehicle widthdirection with the movement of the door 108.

After the door 108 moves up to the position where the plugging operationis finished, the pivoting arm 80 moves up to the position indicated by atwo-dot chain line in FIG. 39 and comes into contact with the stopperrubber 81 b of the restricting member 81. The pivoting range of thepivoting arm 80 is thereby restricted, and the pivoting arm 80 isstopped. Also, after the door 108 moves up to the position where theplugging operation is finished, the meshing between the external gear 86and the door-side fixed rack 85 provided along a part of the door 108 inthe vehicle front-rear direction is released. Thus, the acquisition ofthe door opening/closing force of the door 108 by the driving forceacquiring portion 76 a when the door 108 is opened is finished.

Also, when the door 108 moves in the opening direction after theabove-described plugging operation of the door 108, the pair of supportrollers (79 a, 79 a) and the assist roller 84 roll relative to the doorrail 91 with the movement of the door 108 on the door rail 91. Also, inthis state, the position of the pivoting arm 80 is retained at theposition where it comes into contact with the restricting member 81, bythe arm biasing spring 82.

Also, when the plugging operation to the outside in the vehicle widthdirection by the plugging mechanism and the pivoting arm mechanism 75 isfinished, the movement of both ends of the link mechanism 64 in a bentstate is constrained by the outer peripheral portions of the engagingmembers (69 a, 69 b). Further, in this state, a reaction force balancedwith a driving force that is input from the carrier 20 c in the planetgear mechanism 20 to the locking mechanism 57 is generated at the outerperipheral portions of the engaging members (69 a, 69 b). The drivepinion 61 is thereby driven to rotate with a driving force that is inputfrom the ring gear 20 d in the planet gear mechanism 20 to the drivepinion 61.

Further, the drive racks (60 a, 60 b) are driven in opposite directionswith the rotation of the drive pinion 61, and the support rails 16 d andthe pinions 16 c in the double-speed rails (56 a, 56 b) move togetherwith the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b). For this reason, on thedouble-speed rails (56 a, 56 b), the upper racks 16 a connected to thedoors (108, 109) move at a speed that is double the speed of the pinion16 c, relative to the lower racks 16 b fixed to the slide base 52. Thedoors (108, 109) thereby move in the respective opening directions, andthe operation of opening the doors (108, 109) is performed. Note thatwhile the doors (108, 109) are moving in the opening directions, theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b) linearly move in the opening directions ofthe doors (108, 109) together with the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b),without receiving a force in the vehicle width direction from the guideportions (55 a, 55 b).

On the other hand, when the doors (108, 109) close, a reverse operationof the above-described operation of opening the doors (108, 109) isperformed. In other words, the direct-drive brushless electric motor 21in the door drive mechanism 53 is driven, and the drive pinion 61 drivenvia the planet gear mechanism 20 rotates in the direction opposite tothat in the above-described opening operation. Thus, the support rails16 d and the pinions 16 c in the double-speed rails (56 a, 56 b) thatare connected to the connecting portions (59 a, 59 b) move in thedirections opposite to those in the above-described opening operation.Further, in the double-speed rails (56 a, 56 b), the upper racks 16 aconnected to the doors (108, 109) move at a speed that is double thespeed of the pinions 16 c, relative to the lower racks 16 b fixed to theslide base 52. Thus, the doors (108, 109) move in the respective closingdirections, and the operation of closing the doors (108, 109) isperformed. Also, the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) linearly move in therespective closing directions toward the guide portions (55 a, 55 b).

Note that in the guide portion 55 a, a pivoting force in the clockwisedirection, as viewed from above, acts on the second link 25 due to thehelical spring 30 when the door 108 is in an open state. That is to say,a tension force from the helical spring 30 acts on the second link 25such that the guide portion roller 28 is located at a position where itcomes into contact with the curved face 23 b of the roller guide 23. Inthe present embodiment, the guide portion roller 28 is fitted into arecess having substantially the same semicircular shape as theouter-circumferential shape of the guide portion roller 28 in its curvedface 23 b. Accordingly, the first link 24 and the second link 25 arestably retained at predetermined positions. Specifically, the secondlink 25 is retained at a position where the shaft portion 54 a that haslinearly moved in the closing direction can come into contact with theinner periphery of the second dent portion 25 a. Also, the first link 24is retained at a position where the shaft portion 54 a that has linearlymoved in the closing direction can be housed within the first dentportion 24 a (see FIG. 37).

Accordingly, when the door 108 has moved in the closing direction by apredetermined amount from the fully-opened position, the shaft portion54 a comes into contact with the inner periphery of the second dentportion 25 a of the second link 25 (see FIG. 37) and biases the secondlink 25. At this time, since the second link 25 pivots around the secondpivoting shaft 27 in the anticlockwise direction, as viewed from above,against the force of the helical spring 30, linear movement of the shaftportion 54 a in the closing direction is not hindered. During the abovepivoting of the second link 25, the guide portion roller 28 moves alongthe curved face 23 b of the roller guide 23. Note that at the time ofthe pivoting of the second link 25, the first link 24 hardly pivots andis retained at a predetermined position or in the vicinity thereof.

Then, the shaft portion 54 a moves in the closing direction up to theposition where it comes into contact with the inner periphery of thefirst dent portion 24 a of the first link 24, and biases the first link24 in the closing direction. The first link 24 thereby pivots around thefirst pivoting shaft 26 in the anticlockwise direction, as viewed fromabove, and the shaft portion 54 a is guided toward the inside in thevehicle width direction.

At this time, the door 108 moves similarly to the shaft portion 54 a. Inother words, the door 108 linearly moves in the closing direction fromthe fully-opened position, and is also drawn inward in the vehicle widthdirection in the vicinity of the closed position and transitions to theclosed position. Thus, the plugging operation toward the inside in thevehicle width direction by the plugging mechanism is finished.

As described above, the guide portions (55 a, 55 b) are configured asmechanisms that pivot while coming into contact with the shaft portions(54 a, 54 b) and guide the shaft portions (54 a, 54 b) such that theshaft portions (54 a, 54 b) move toward the other side in the vehiclewidth direction (i.e., in the closing direction of the door 108 and theclosing direction of the door 109), when the doors (108, 109) close.

Also, when the above-described plugging operation to the inside in thevehicle width direction is performed, the pivoting arm mechanisms 75 (75a, 75 b) guide the doors (108, 109) outward in the vehicle widthdirection so as to assist the plugging operation of the doors (108,109).

When the door 108 is moving in the closing direction, the pair ofsupport rollers (79 a, 79 a) and the assist roller 84 is rollingrelative to the door rail 91. After the door 108 moves in the closingdirection by a predetermined amount and reaches the position where theplugging operation to the inside in the vehicle width direction isstarted, the door-side fixed rack 85 reaches the position where itmeshes with the external gear 86 on the outer circumference of the driverotational member 76 b. Furthermore, upon the plugging operation of thedoor 108 toward the inside in the vehicle width direction being startedin this state, the drive rotational member 76 b rotates while meshing,at its external gear 86, with the door-side fixed rack 85 with themovement of the door 108, and a driving force serving as a dooropening/closing force is acquired by the driving force acquiring portion76 a. At this time, the drive rotational member 76 b rotates in thedirection opposite to the rotational direction thereof during theopening operation of the door 108.

Then, the drive rotational member 76 b rotates with the movement of thedoor 108, the intermediate gear 83 that meshes with the drive rotationalmember 76 b rotates, and further, the follower rotational member 77 thatmeshes with the intermediate gear 83 rotates. Also, at this time, thefollower rotational member 77 rotates while meshing with the externalgear of the guiding curved face portion 78 a of the guiding curved facemember 78, and moves along the guiding curved face portion 78 a in thedirection opposite to that during the opening operation of the door 108.Thus, the pivoting arm 80 that rotatably supports the drive rotationalmember 76 b and the follower rotational member 77 and is pivotablysupported by the guiding curved face member 78 pivots inward in thevehicle width direction with the movement of the door 108. When the door108 reaches the closed position, the acquisition of the dooropening/closing force of the door 108 by the driving force acquiringportion 76 a when the door 108 is closed ends, and the pivoting of thepivoting arm 80 also stops.

Also, when the plugging operation to the inside in the vehicle widthdirection by the plugging mechanism and the pivoting arm mechanism 75 isfinished, the locking pins (63 a, 63 b) are engaged respectively withthe engaging members (69 a, 69 b) and pivot the engaging members (69 a,69 b). Thus, the engaging members (69 a, 69 b) are in a state of facingto both ends of the link mechanism 64 in a bent state. Further, upon theengaging members (69 a, 69 b) pivoting as described above, constraint onthe link mechanism 64 by the outer peripheral portions of the engagingmembers (69 a, 69 b) is released. For this reason, the link 64 a pivotswith a driving force that is input from the carrier 20 c in the planetgear mechanism 20 via the output roller 22 a, and the link mechanism 64deforms from a bent state into a linear state. Then, both ends of thelink mechanism 64 are engaged with the engaging members (69 a, 69 b).

Also, at this time, the transmission member 40 moves parallel to theclosing direction of the door 108 in the vehicle front-rear directionwith a driving force that is input from the carrier 20 c via the outputroller shaft 22 b, and the slide block 41 also moves parallel to theclosing direction of the door 108 on the slide rail 39. Then, the roller42 moves from the position of the roller 42 a indicated by a two-dotchain line in FIG. 42 up to the position where it comes into contactwith the face 36 a of the fixed lock portion 62. Thus, the state of thedoors (108, 109) being locked by the locking mechanism 57 is ensured,and the plugging operation toward the outside in the vehicle widthdirection by the plugging mechanism is disabled.

Regarding Effect of Plug Door Device

With the above-described plug door device 3, the guide portions 55 (55a, 55 b) come into contact with the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) andpivot, thereby guiding the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b) in the vehiclewidth direction. For this reason, the operation of the guide portions 55(55 a, 55 b) is an operation of following the movement of the doors(108, 109) in the vehicle width direction. With this configuration, thespace occupied by the guide portions 55 (55 a, 55 b) in the vehiclewidth direction can be further reduced in accordance with the state ofmovement of the doors (108, 109) in the vehicle width direction. As aresult, a smaller plug door device 3 can be realized that can performthe opening/closing operation and the plugging operation using the doordrive mechanism 53 for causing a force in the vehicle front-reardirection to act on the doors (108, 109).

Furthermore, the plug door device 3 is provided with the pivoting armmechanisms 75 (75 a, 75 b) each having the pivoting arm 80 that pivotsbased on a door opening/closing force with the opening/closing operationof the door (108, 109). In each pivoting arm mechanism 75 (75 a, 75 b),the follower rotational member 77 pivots to which a rotational forcegenerated due to the door opening/closing force acquired from the door(108, 109) was transmitted, the follower rotational member 77 is guidedalong the guiding curved face portion 78 a, and the pivoting arm 80retaining the follower rotational member 77 thereby pivots. For thisreason, even if the shaft portions 54 (54 a, 54 b), the guide portions55 (55 a, 55 b), and the slide base 52 are installed on the upper sideof the doors (108, 109), the pivoting arm mechanisms 75 (75 a, 75 b) areinstalled on the lower side of the doors (108, 109), and the rigidity ofthe doors (108, 109) is small, a state where the movement of the doors(108, 109) at their lower side does not sufficiently follow the movementof the door (108, 109) at their upper side during the plugging operationis prevented. In other words, even if the connecting shaft disclosed inPatent Literature 1 is not provided, it is ensured that the movement ofthe doors (108, 109) at their lower side follows the movement of thedoors (108, 109) at their upper side where the mechanism for performingthe plugging operation is disposed. Accordingly, it is possible toreduce the installation space for the mechanisms each of which has thepivoting arm 80 and guides the door (108, 109) in the vehicle widthdirection so as to assist the plugging operation of the door (108, 109).Note that with the pivoting arm mechanisms 75 (75 a, 75 b), the doors(108, 109) are supported not only on the side of the rotational forcegenerating portion 76 for acquiring a door opening/closing force andgenerating a rotational force but also by the door-side support portion79 disposed on the opposite side in the vehicle width direction via apart of the doors (108, 109). For this reason, a part of each door (108,109) is supported so as to be sandwiched from both sides in the vehiclewidth direction, and a state where the rotational force generatingportion 76 operates to follow the door (108, 109) is constantly ensured.Furthermore, in each pivoting arm mechanism 75 (75 a, 75 b), thepivoting range on the door opening direction side of the pivoting arm 80is restricted by the restricting member 81, and therefore, the pivotingarm 80 is prevented from excessively pivoting after the pluggingoperation and hindering the movement of the door (108, 109) when thedoor (108, 109) opens.

Accordingly, according to the present embodiment, it is possible torealize a smaller plug door device 3 capable of performing theopening/closing operation and the plugging operation using the doordrive mechanism 53 for causing a force in the vehicle front-reardirection to act on the door (108, 109), and further to provide the plugdoor device 3 in which the installation space for the mechanisms each ofwhich has the pivoting arm 80 and guides the door (108, 109) in thevehicle width direction so as to assist the plugging operation of thedoor (108, 109) can be reduced.

Also, with the plug door device 3, each rotational force generatingportion 76 is configured as a mechanism in which a mechanism foracquiring a door opening/closing force as a driving force and amechanism for generating a rotational force from the acquired drivingforce are separate mechanisms. For this reason, it is possible toefficiently acquire the door opening/closing force and efficientlyconvert it into a rotational force, compared with a rotational forcegenerating portion configured to rotate with a frictional force whileabutting the door (108, 109).

Also, with the plug door device 3, the driving force acquiring portion76 a capable of efficiently acquiring a door opening/closing force canbe realized with a simple configuration with the door-side fixed rack 85fixed to the door and the external gear 86 on the outer circumference ofthe drive rotational member 76 b. Note that since the door-side fixedrack 85 is provided along a part of the door in the vehicle front-reardirection, the external gear 86 on the outer circumference of the driverotational member 76 b is prevented from excessively operating whilemeshing the door-side fixed rack 85 and hindering the movement of thedoor (108, 109) after the plugging operation. Furthermore, since the armbiasing spring 82 is provided, the position of the pivoting arm 80 isretained at the position where it comes into contact with therestricting member 81 even after the meshing between the door-side fixedrack 85 provided along a part of the door (108, 109) in the vehiclefront-rear direction and the external gear 86 on the outer circumferenceof the drive rotational member 76 b is released, when the door (108,109) opens.

Regarding Modifications

Although the embodiments of the present invention were described thusfar, the present invention is not limited to the above-describedembodiments, and may be modified in various manners for implementationwithin the scope recited in Claims. For example, the present inventionmay be modified as below for implementation.

(1) Although the first embodiment described an exemplary mode in whichtwo follower pulleys are provided in the door drive mechanism, this neednot be the case. A mode in which one follower pulley or three or morefollower pulleys are provided may alternatively be employed.

(2) Although the first embodiment described an example in which thedrive pulley and the follower pulleys are used as the drive wheel memberand the follower wheel members, respectively, this need not be the case.The drive wheel member and the follower wheel member may alternativelybe configured as sprockets or the like. Further, although the drive beltwith teeth was described as an example of the endless member, this neednot be the case. A mode in which a V-belt, a chain, a wire, or the likeis used as the endless member may alternatively be employed.

(3) Although the first to third embodiments described an exemplary modein which the shaft portion is provided in the connecting portion, thisneed not be the case. A mode in which the shaft portion is directlyprovided on the door may alternatively be employed.

(4) The shape of the guide portion need not be the exemplary shapedescribed in the above embodiments. In other words, the guide portionneed only have the shape with which the guide portion can be rotatablyinstalled on the fixed base, pivot while coming into contact with theshaft portion and guide the shaft portion such that the shaft portionmoves toward one side in the vehicle width direction when the dooropens, and pivot while coming into contact with the shaft portion andguide the shaft portion such that the shaft portion moves toward theother side in the vehicle width direction when the door closes.

(5) Although the third embodiment described an example of the plug doordevice applied to two-panel sliding doors constituted by two doors, thisneed not be the case, and the present invention may alternatively beapplied to a one-panel sliding door constituted by one door.

(6) Although the third embodiment described an exemplary mode in whichthe door drive mechanism is configured to include the rack-and-pinionmechanism, this need not be the case. A door drive mechanism configuredto include a drive wheel member and a follower wheel member that areeach configured as a pulley, a sprocket, or the like, and an endlessmember configured as a belt, a chain, a wire, or the like that is loopedaround the drive wheel member and the follower wheel member mayalternatively be implemented.

(7) The rotational force generating portion is not limited to theexemplary mode described in the above embodiments, and may be modifiedfor implementation. For example, the rotational force generating portionmay be provided as a mechanism having a belt member that circles, whichabuts the door while circling and rotating with a frictional force. Therotational force generating portion that generates a rotational force bythus abutting the door and acquiring a door opening/closing force may beimplemented.

Note that in the above-described case, the guiding curved face portionof the guiding curved face member is configured to abut the belt memberof the rotational force generating portion. The follower rotationalmember is supported rotatably relative to the pivoting arm within thebelt member, and is disposed so as to sandwich the belt member betweenthe follower rotational member and the guiding curved face member. Thus,the rotational force of the belt member serving as the rotational forcegenerating portion is transmitted to the follower rotational member, andthe follower rotational member moves along the guiding curved faceportion with the rotation of the follower rotational member and therotation of the belt member that abuts the guiding curved face portionand circles while generating a frictional force.

(8) A pivoting arm mechanism provided with a door-side fixed rack and arotational force generating portion configured to include a toothed beltthat meshes with the door-side fixed rack may be implemented. FIG. 43 isa plan view showing a pivoting arm mechanism 92 according to amodification. The pivoting arm mechanism 92 shown in FIG. 43 is providedwith a rotational force generating portion 93 configured to include adoor-side fixed rack 85, a double-side toothed belt 94, and a driverotational member 76 b. Note that in FIG. 43, the constituentsconfigured similarly to those in the above-described embodiments aregiven the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will beomitted.

The double-side toothed belt 94 is provided as an endless belt member,and is provided with teeth on its inner-circumferential face andouter-circumferential face. The drive rotational member 76 b and afollower rotational member 77 that are supported rotatably relative tothe pivoting arm 80 are disposed inward of the double-side toothed belt94. Further, the double-side toothed belt 94 is looped around the driverotational member 76 b and the follower rotational member 77 so as tocircle therearound in a state where the teeth on theinner-circumferential face of the double-side toothed belt 94 mesh withthe teeth on the outer-circumferential face of the drive rotationalmember 76 b and the teeth on the outer-circumferential face of thefollower rotational member 77.

Also, the double-side toothed belt 94 is installed such that the teethprovided on its outer-circumferential face mesh with the door-side fixedrack 85 and also mesh with an external gear formed on the guiding curvedface portion 78 a. Thus, with movement of the door, the double-sidetoothed belt 94 rotates so as to circle while meshing with the door-sidefixed rack 85, and the drive rotational member 76 b and the followerrotational member 77 that mesh with the double-side toothed belt 94 onthe inside also rotate. Then, the follower rotational member 77 movesalong the guiding curved face portion 78 a with the rotation of thefollower rotational member 77 and the rotation of the double-sidetoothed belt 94 that circles while meshing with the external gear of theguiding curved face portion 78 a. The pivoting arm 80 thereby pivots.Note that in this modification, as described above, the object withwhich the drive rotational member 76 b and the follower rotationalmember 77 mesh is different from that in the above-describedembodiments, and the drive rotational member 76 b and the followerrotational member 77 in this modification mesh with theinner-circumferential face of the double-side toothed belt 94. Also, thedouble-side toothed belt 94 in the rotational force generating portion93 is in contact with the guiding curved face portion 78 a of theguiding curved face member 78.

(9) A mode in which a mechanism that extends and contracts at the timeof a pivoting operation is provided as a pivoting arm may beimplemented. Also, a mode may be implemented that includes a guidingcurved face member provided with a guiding curved face portion forcausing the follower rotational member to move along a curved faceformed such that its curvature radius changes. In the case of thesemodes, a structure capable of further reducing the installation spacefor the pivoting arm mechanism when the door is at the closed positioncan be realized.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

The present invention is widely applicable to a plug door device to beinstalled at an entrance of a vehicle for performing a dooropening/closing operation and a plugging operation of moving a door in avehicle width direction.

DESCRIPTIONS OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

-   1 plug door device-   11 fixed base-   12 slide base-   13 door drive mechanism-   13 a drive portion-   13 b drive pulley (drive wheel member)-   13 c follower pulley (follower wheel member)-   13 d drive belt (endless member)-   14 shaft portion-   15 guide portion-   16 double-speed rail-   16 a, 16 b rack-   16 c pinion-   19 connecting portion-   102 entrance-   104 door

1. A plug door device to be installed at an entrance of a vehicle forperforming an operation of opening and closing a door and a pluggingoperation of moving the door in a vehicle width direction, comprising: afixed base that is fixed to a body of the vehicle; a slide baseinstalled on the fixed base slidably relative to the fixed base in thevehicle width direction; a door drive mechanism that has a drive portionincluding an electric motor, a drive wheel member to which a drivingforce from the drive portion is input, at least one follower wheelmember provided in association with the drive wheel member, and anendless member that is looped around the drive wheel member and thefollower wheel member so as to circle therearound, and rotates thefollower wheel member with a rotation of the drive wheel member, thedoor drive mechanism being installed on the slide base and moving onedoor in a vehicle front-rear direction via a connecting portion; a shaftportion provided on the door or the connecting portion; a guide portionthat is rotatably installed on the fixed base, pivots while abutting theshaft portion and guides the shaft portion such that the shaft portionmoves toward one side in the vehicle width direction when the dooropens, and pivots while abutting the shaft portion and guides the shaftportion such that the shaft portion moves toward another side in thevehicle width direction when the door closes; and a double-speed railthat has two facing racks and a pinion disposed between the two racks,the two racks being installed so as to extend in the vehicle front-reardirection, one of the two racks being connected to the slide base andthe other one thereof being connected to the door, and the pinion beingconnected to the connecting portion.
 2. The plug door device accordingto claim 1, further comprising a locking mechanism capable of lockingthe door so as to restrict a movement of the door at a closed positionof the door, wherein the drive portion has the electric motor and aplanet gear mechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear that mesheswith the sun gear and revolves around the sun gear while rotating, acarrier that rotatably supports the planet gears and revolvably supportsthe planet gears, and a ring gear that meshes with the planet gear, adriving force from the electric motor being input to the planet gearmechanism, and the driving force from the electric motor is input to anyone of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear, a driving forcethat is output from any one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ringgear is input to the drive wheel member, and a driving force that isoutput from the remaining one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ringgear is input to the locking mechanism.
 3. The plug door deviceaccording to claim 2, wherein the locking mechanism includes: a fixedlock portion provided so as to be fixed on the fixed base; and a movablelock portion that is provided movably with the driving force that isoutput from the planet gear mechanism to the locking mechanism, andcomes into contact with the fixed lock portion on the inside in thevehicle width direction at the closed position of the door, a movementof the door outward in the vehicle width direction is restricted whenthe door is in a closed state.
 4. The plug door device according toclaim 3, wherein the movable lock portion includes: a sliding contactportion capable of coming into contact with the fixed lock portion; aslide rail that is fixed to the slide base and restricts a slidingdirection of the sliding contact portion; and a transmission member thattransmits a driving force that is output from the planet gear mechanismto the locking mechanism to the sliding contact portion.
 5. The plugdoor device according to claim 4, wherein the sliding contact portionincludes: a slide block provided in the form of a block, a slidingdirection of the slide block being restricted by the slide rail; and aroller supported rotatably relative to the slide block and capable ofcoming into contact with the fixed lock portion.
 6. The plug door deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the fixed lock portion is provided with: afirst face that is formed as a face orthogonal to the vehicle widthdirection and restricts a movement of the door outward in the vehiclewidth direction by coming into contact with the movable lock portionwhen the door is in a closed state; and a second face that is formed asa face orthogonal to the vehicle front-rear direction and capable ofcoming into contact with the movable lock portion, and generates areaction force balanced with a driving force that is input from theplanet gear mechanism to the locking mechanism such that the drive wheelmember is driven to rotate with a driving force that is input from theplanet gear mechanism to the drive wheel member.
 7. The plug door deviceaccording to claim 3, wherein the drive portion and the drive wheelmember are disposed at a central part in the vehicle front-reardirection of the slide base, and a plurality of follower wheel membersare provided and are disposed on both sides in the vehicle front-reardirection of the drive wheel member.
 8. A plug door device to beinstalled at an entrance of a vehicle for performing an operation ofopening and closing a door and a plugging operation of moving the doorin a vehicle width direction, comprising: a fixed base that is fixed toa body of the vehicle; a slide base installed on the fixed base slidablyrelative to the fixed base in the vehicle width direction; a door drivemechanism that is installed on the slide base and moves the door in avehicle front-rear direction via a connecting portion; a shaft portionprovided on the door or the connecting portion; a guide portion that isrotatably installed on the fixed base, pivots while abutting the shaftportion and guides the shaft portion such that the shaft portion movestoward one side in the vehicle width direction when the door opens, andpivots while abutting the shaft portion and guides the shaft portionsuch that the shaft portion moves toward another side in the vehiclewidth direction when the door closes; a double-speed rail that has twofacing racks and a pinion disposed between the two racks, the two racksbeing installed so as to extend in the vehicle front-rear direction, oneof the two racks being connected to the slide base and the other onethereof being connected to the door, and the pinion being connected tothe connecting portion; and a locking mechanism capable of locking thedoor so as to restrict a movement of the door at a closed position ofthe door, wherein the locking mechanism include: a fixed lock portionprovided so as to be fixed on the fixed base; and a movable lock portionthat is provided movably with the driving force that is output from thedoor drive mechanism to the locking mechanism, and comes into contactwith the fixed lock portion on the inside in the vehicle width directionat the closed position of the door, a movement of the door outward inthe vehicle width direction is restricted when the door is in a closedstate.
 9. The plug door device according to claim 8, wherein the movablelock portion includes: a sliding contact portion capable of coming intocontact with the fixed lock portion; a slide rail that is fixed to theslide base and restricts a sliding direction of the sliding contactportion; and a transmission member that transmits a driving force thatis output from the door drive mechanism to the locking mechanism to thesliding contact portion.
 10. The plug door device according to claim 9,wherein the sliding contact portion includes: a slide block provided inthe form of a block, a sliding direction of the slide block beingrestricted by the slide rail; and a roller supported rotatably relativeto the slide block and capable of coming into contact with the fixedlock portion.
 11. The plug door device according to claim 8, wherein thedoor drive mechanism has a drive portion including an electric motor,and a rack-and-pinion mechanism that moves the connecting portion as aresult of a driving force from the drive portion being input to therack-and-pinion mechanism, the drive portion has a planet gear mechanismincluding a sun gear, a planet gear that meshes with the sun gear andrevolves around the sun gear while rotating, a carrier that rotatablysupports the planet gears and revolvably supports the planet gears, anda ring gear that meshes with the planet gear, a driving force from theelectric motor being input to the planet gear mechanism, and the drivingforce from the electric motor is input to any one of the sun gear, thecarrier, and the ring gear, a driving force that is output from any oneof the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is input to therack-and-pinion mechanism, and a driving force that is output from theremaining one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is inputto the locking mechanism.
 12. The plug door device according to claim 8,wherein a door drive mechanism has a drive portion including an electricmotor, a drive wheel member to which a driving force from the driveportion is input, at least one follower wheel member provided inassociation with the drive wheel member, and an endless member that islooped around the drive wheel member and the follower wheel member so asto circle therearound, and rotates the follower wheel member with arotation of the drive wheel member, the door drive mechanism moving onedoor in the vehicle front-rear direction, the drive portion has a planetgear mechanism including a sun gear, a planet gear that meshes with thesun gear and revolves around the sun gear while rotating, a carrier thatrotatably supports the planet gears and revolvably supports the planetgears, and a ring gear that meshes with the planet gear, a driving forcefrom the electric motor being input to the planet gear mechanism, andthe driving force from the electric motor is input to any one of the sungear, the carrier, and the ring gear, a driving force that is outputfrom any one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is input tothe drive wheel member, and a driving force that is output from theremaining one of the sun gear, the carrier, and the ring gear is inputto the locking mechanism.
 13. The plug door device according to claim12, wherein the fixed lock portion is provided with: a first face thatis formed as a face orthogonal to the vehicle width direction andrestricts a movement of the door outward in the vehicle width directionby coming into contact with the movable lock portion when the door is ina closed state; and a second face that is formed as a face orthogonal tothe vehicle front-rear direction and capable of coming into contact withthe movable lock portion, and generates a reaction force balanced with adriving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism to thelocking mechanism such that the drive wheel member is driven to rotatewith a driving force that is input from the planet gear mechanism to thedrive wheel member.
 14. A plug door device to be installed at anentrance of a vehicle for performing an operation of opening and closinga door and a plugging operation of moving the door in a vehicle widthdirection, comprising: a fixed base that is fixed to a body of thevehicle; a slide base installed on the fixed base slidably relative tothe fixed base in the vehicle width direction; a door drive mechanismthat is installed on the slide base and moves the door in the vehiclefront-rear direction via a connecting portion; a shaft portion providedon the door or the connecting portion; a guide portion that is rotatablyinstalled on the fixed base, pivots while abutting the shaft portion andguides the shaft portion such that the shaft portion moves toward oneside in the vehicle width direction when the door opens, and pivotswhile abutting the shaft portion and guides the shaft portion such thatthe shaft portion moves toward another side in the vehicle widthdirection when the door closes; and a pivoting arm mechanism that has apivoting arm that pivots with the operation of opening and closing thedoor, based on a door opening/closing force, which is a force in amoving direction of the door that moves in an opening/closing direction,the pivoting arm mechanism guiding the door in the vehicle widthdirection so as to assist the plugging operation of the door, whereinthe pivoting arm mechanism include: a rotational force generatingportion that generates a rotational force by acquiring the dooropening/closing force from the door; a follower rotational member thatrotates as a result of the rotational force generated by the rotationalforce generating portion being transmitted thereto; a guiding curvedface member that comes into contact with the follower rotational memberor the rotational force generating portion and is provided with aguiding curved face portion that moves the follower rotational memberalong a curved face in an arc with a rotation of the follower rotationalmember; a door-side support portion that is provided closer to the doorthan the rotational force generating portion is, abuts a part of thedoor on a side opposite, in the vehicle width direction, to a side onwhich the rotational force generating portion is disposed, and supportsthe part of the door; the pivoting arm that is provided pivotablyrelative to the guiding curved face member and retains the rotationalforce generating portion and the follower rotational member; and arestricting member that is provided farther in an opening direction,which is a direction in which the door opens, than the pivoting arm is,and restricts a pivoting range of the pivoting arm by abutting thepivoting arm when the door opens.
 15. The plug door device according toclaim 14, wherein the rotational force generating portion has a drivingforce acquiring portion for acquiring the door opening/closing force asa driving force from the door, and a drive rotational member thatrotates with the driving force acquired by the driving force acquiringportion and generates a rotational force.
 16. The plug door deviceaccording to claim 15, wherein the pivoting arm mechanism further has anarm biasing spring capable of biasing the pivoting arm so as to retain aposition of the pivoting arm at a position where the pivoting arm comesinto contact with the restricting member, the driving force acquiringportion has a door-side fixed rack that is fixed to the door and anexternal gear that is provided on an outer circumference of the driverotational member and meshes with the door-side fixed rack, and thedoor-side fixed rack is provided along a part of the door in the vehiclefront-rear direction.